Offering "Faux Codes": An Ethical Option for the Patient Who Can't Tell Their Family No.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2025

Publication Title

The Hastings Center report

Abstract

Some patients do not want medically appropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the end of life but cannot withstand family pressures to request a "full code" status. This essay defends offering these patients a "faux code," which would involve keeping the patient's status "full code" in the chart, with an unwritten agreement between the patient and the medical team that an effort will be made to withhold CPR at the time of arrest. Objections to faux codes are addressed, and it is concluded that faux codes are an ethically permissible option for some patients at the end of life.

Volume

55

Issue

6

First Page

2

Last Page

6

DOI

10.1002/hast.4969

ISSN

1552-146X

PubMed ID

41378709

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