Legal Problems of Intensive Care

Abstract

While representing extraordinary efforts, intensive care has nevertheless to be considered as medical treatment. The usual conditions for diagnosis and therapy therefore apply. The ethical and legal conditions likewise do not differ from the considerations in respect of regular therapy, but are modified due to the greater extent of medical care. This care involves extraordinary steps about which the patient generally needs to be informed and to which he has to consent. As a consequence of his condition, however, the patient frequently will not be able to express his consent explicitly. The physician has to use his professional and ethical judgment to decide upon the extent to which the extraordinary steps to be taken are indicated and justified.