medical futility

medical futility,

1 a judgment that further medical treatment of a patient would have no useful result.

2 a medical treatment whose success is possible although reasoning and experience suggest that it is highly improbable.

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medical futility

Futile resuscitation, futility Biomedical ethics A subjective term that encompasses a range of probabilities that a Pt will benefit from efforts designed to improve his life and survive to discharge from a health care facility Medtalk The lack of efficacy of a particular maneuver in ↓ M&M. See Advance directive, DNR, Futility. See DNR orders. Cf Euthanasia.