Medical Futility in Japan vs. North America

A new comparative survey of Japanese physicians and laypeople concerning judgments of futility is roughly consistent with similar Canadian and American studies.  Laypeople were nearly twice as likely to think continued treatment was appropriate.  For example, take a hypothetical case in which physicians determined that "there were no longer any agents anticipated effective" for a patient with advanced lung cancer and a life expectancy of several weeks.  If the patient requests another round of chemotherapy, 65% of laypeople say it should be administered, but only 33% of physicians.   

But there are some notable differences.  First, one figure that was way lower is that only 17% of respondents identified "avoidance of legal issue" as a reason for providing treatment judged futile.  That figure is substantially higher in Canadian and American studies.  Another difference is that more Japanese physicians think that they have a duty "to make an all-out effort to save a person's life, regardless of the condition, that that patients in irreversible comatose states should be valued and offered medical care unstintingly."