Futile therapy: Guarding the dignity of the patient

NIL supports the position of the Society of Polish Internists on futile therapy. - As soon as I became familiar with the position of the Society of Polish Internists Working Group at the time, I was wholeheartedly in favor of its adoption. I had the pleasure, on behalf of the Supreme Medical Council, of reviewing it. I am impressed with the work that the authors of these guidelines have done. It is an invaluable voice in the discussion of futile therapy and the issue of the end of life," says Damian Patecki, M.D., an anesthesiologist and chairman of the NRL Education Committee.

As the NIL points out, the guideline position was prepared by a team of more than a dozen experts, consisting of physicians of various specialties, ethicists, clergy and lawyers. The specialists were guided by the idea of not only describing the best clinical practice in the context of seriously ill patients, against whom medicine is becoming powerless, but also to create a formal and uniform procedure. The document was adopted and supported by a resolution of the Presidium of the Supreme Medical Council after the recommendation of the NIL Expert Council and the NRL Medical Ethics Committee.

The position paper in question is an extremely insightful document, based on a wealth of literature and prepared by a team of distinguished authorities, taking into account all the aspects expected in such a delicate matter as terminal care: legal, ethical, respecting the dignity of the patient and focusing primarily on the dying person. [...] The practical dimension of the position is also contained in the legal part, clearly indicating the powers of the therapeutic team and the role of the family with the emphasis that the meeting with relatives is to gather information about the patient and prepare them for the dying process, not to obtain consent from them. [...] The Commission's approval was given to the Working Group's proposals to also include non-physicians in the various stages of dealing with the patient: a psychologist, a chaplain, a legal counselor, this constitutes a holistic treatment of the dying with respect for all aspects of the patient's situation," writes the NRL Medical Ethics Committee in its recommendation. - What is key in the document is that the guidelines are grounded first and foremost on the issue of patient dignity and acting in the patient's best interest. Patient dignity is not only about treatment, but also about end-of-life issues. The document is extremely thoughtful and valuable. The importance of this post lies in the very topic that the specialists take up, and the professionalism of the elaboration of this issue, the use of very precise language. The position paper will certainly be a very great help to patients, their families and doctors. We, as the NIL, as well as the authors, are interested in the widest possible dissemination of this document. We believe that the medical community should take up such difficult, borderline topics and uphold the dignity of the patient," added Damian Patecki.

Source: NIL