No Longer Beneficial Treatment (NLBT)

At the Seattle Children's bioethics conference, Marcia Levetown made a good case for not using the term "non-beneficial treatment."  Many have used this instead of the far more controversial (and misleading) "futile treatment."  But Dr. Levetown suggests using "no longer beneficial treatment."  





After all, treatment are usually started with at least a hope that they will be beneficial.  It is only after the passage of some time that the lack of benefit becomes clear (or clearer or sufficiently clear).  I like this term and plan to use it.  I may abbreviate it as NLBT and use it instead of the LSMT (life sustaining medical treatment) that I usually use.