Treatment withholding

Treatment witholding occurs after the proper assessment of either a mental or physical disorder and the clinican decides not to provide treatment.

This can due to a number of factors such as judgements as to the persons ability to benefit from treatment, the cost of treatment etc

It can often be difficult to negotiate the lack of treatment with patients who can feel disappointed and rejected by the response.

Treatment witholding at the end of life
Some physicians may withold treatment when people are dying this may be due to previous agreement with the person, perhaps established in an advance directives.