The law and intensive care. The role of the courts in the ethical decision-making process.

As intensive care decision making has become more complex in light of continuing technologic advances, our legal system has become increasingly involved in defining the legal parameters of the decision-making process. Although the law differs substantially from state to state, certain standards of broad applicability appear to be emerging. The medical community must strive to ensure that it is responsive to the legitimate need of government to set appropriate standards, in order to forestall the imposition of unnecessarily restrictive standards.