Treatment decisions are influenced by many factors beyond medical pathology. Individual beliefs and values, family dynamics, economics, and culture play a role in these decisions.

Nowhere is this more evident than at the end of life, where crisis and emotional trauma further complicate the ability to make the ‘right’ decisions. Physicians often struggle to balance the prioritisation between autonomy and acting in the best interest of the patient.

Comparisons between the US and UK are especially fascinating since in the US, decisions to pursue a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order must be agreed upon with the patient or family. In the UK, CPR can be unilaterally withheld by the doctor if deemed medically appropriate.

In this presentation, Dr Elizabeth Dzeng will draw upon her experiences as a physician in the US and her PhD research on this topic to illustrate some of the ethical dilemmas that practitioners struggle with daily.