Refusing Treatment

Refusing treatment--who shall decide?

The issue of consent in medical care, and its corollary refusal of consent, has become more and more complex. Three major consent issues are: (I) the capacity of giving consent or obtaining consent when the individual involved is impaired or not competent to give consent; (2) the capacity to consent to or authorize non-treatment or withdrawal of treatment; and (3) the refusal to give consent wh...

The ethics of refusing medical treatment.

Refusing life-sustaining treatment: can we just say no?

The cost of refusing treatment and equality of outcome.

Patients have a right to refuse medical treatment. But what should happen after a patient has refused recommended treatment? In many cases, patients receive alternative forms of treatment. These forms of care may be less cost-effective. Does respect for autonomy extend to providing these alternatives? How for does justice constrain autonomy? I begin by providing three arguments that such altern...

Refusing Treatment: The NHS and market-based reform