Withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies refers to stopping or discontinuing medical treatments that keep a person alive but will not cure their underlying medical condition. This decision is often made when it is determined that further treatment is futile and the person is unlikely to recover or when the person is suffering and the continuation of treatment is causing more harm than good.
Examples of life-sustaining therapies include mechanical ventilation for people who can no longer breathe on their own, dialysis for people with kidney failure, and artificial nutrition and hydration for people who cannot eat or drink on their own.
The decision to withdraw life-sustaining therapies is a difficult one and should involve close consultation with the patient (if possible), their family, and healthcare providers. In some cases, ethical and legal issues may also need to be considered.
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