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	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

To the Editor: Drs Prendergast and Puntillo¹ argued that families should be asked to share the burden of deciding to withdraw life-sustaining interventions in terminally ill patients. However, the authors do not describe exactly how such sharing is to be accomplished.

Physicians have limited choices when talking with family members about treatment withdrawal. They may model decision making on the process of informed consent for initiating treatment, thereby providing families with information and guidance and possibly advice.² Decisional responsibility, however, clearly remains with family members. (In fact, the consent process can never give rise to demands for treatment since it is only the option of continuing treatment that is considered.)

When treatment has clearly failed then physicians may inform family members of this and then, after allowing time for them to assimilate this news, explain that treatment will be withdrawn. Doing so does not give decisional responsibility to family members, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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