Actions Speak Louder than Words - Providing Inappropriate Treatments

On Sunday in New Orleans, Robert Fine and I did a pro-con debate on the Texas Advance Directives Act during an ethics session of the American Thoracic Society.  There were around 150 people in attendance.  One particularly telling moment was the following.

Bob asked who thought that a PVS patient should be dialyzed.  Almost nobody raised a hand.  He then asked who thought a severely demented patient should be dialyzed.  Again, almost nobody raised a hand.  Bob finally asked (perhaps wondering if the audience was participating) who has done it or seen it done.  A majority of physicians in the room raised their hands.  There is your standard of care.