The Medical journal of Australia
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Review
Withdrawing and withholding treatment in intensive care. Part 1. Social and ethical dimensions.
Intensive care is an expensive resource. The medical profession has been criticised for applying technology indiscriminately and at vast expense to a relatively small group of patients. ⋯ The appropriate response of doctors to these problems is to provide leadership in promoting public awareness and debate of the effects of rationing, and to provide rational allocation of therapy to individual patients. The major issues involving resource allocation in society and to individuals are discussed.