Grenzen der Therapie und „Futility“: Lebensende, Einwilligungsunfähige und Maximaltherapie (Teil 2).

The article discusses the issue of "futility" in therapy and sheds light on specific treatment situations at the end of life, with incapacitated adults and with a desire for maximal therapy. Ineffective measures have no effect in favor of the treatment goal, contraindicated measures harm the patient, and measures with an unfavorable benefit-risk ratio do not need to be included in the decision-making process unless the patient asks for them. Doctors must explain their assessments transparently and inform the patient unless there is no reasonable doubt about the evaluation. In end-of-life situations, life-sustaining measures should be replaced by palliative measures. In the case of incapacitated patients, a patient representative should be involved in the decision-making process. [Extracted from the article]