Futility in Chronic Anorexia Nervosa

Medical futility is usually discussed in the context of life-sustaining treatment in the ICU.  But the new June 2015 issue 15(7) of American Journal of Bioethics addresses futility in another context.



There is one 10-page target article and six 2-page commentaries.



Futility in Chronic Anorexia Nervosa: A Concept Whose Time Has Not Yet Come

Cynthia M. A. Geppert



Anorexia Nervosa, “Futility,” and Category Errors

Ronald W. Pies



The Futility of Arguing About Medical Futility in Anorexia Nervosa: The Question Is How Would You Handle Highly Specific Circumstances?

Joel Yager



“Futility” Is a Failed Concept in Medical Decision Making: Its Use Should Be Abandoned

John J. Paris & Andrew Hawkins



Is Resistance (N)ever Futile? 

Cushla McKinney



Compulsory Treatment in Chronic Anorexia Nervosa by All Means? Searching for a Middle Ground Between a Curative and a Palliative Approach

Manuel Trachsel, Verina Wild, Nikola Biller-Andorno & Tanja Krones



Ms X: A Promising New View of Anorexia Nervosa, Futility, and End-of-Life Decisions in a Very Recent English Case

Robin Mackenzie



A Misunderstanding Concerning Futility

Tommaso Bruni & Charles Weijer