"A futile action is one that cannot achieve the goals of the action, no matter how often repeated." Medical futility must be considered when all standard and even "outside the box" treatments will not improve the condition of the patient as a whole. Physicians have no obligation though to offer treatments that will not benefit the patient. Futile treatments may cause increased pain or discomfort to the patient during their final days or hours. They may give the family false hope and/or significantly increase medical bills. Physicians are ethically required to provide patients with all medically proven treatment options, and in some cases, unproven experimental trials. Even though a patient is entitled to be given a list of treatment
