Reappraisal of the" Slow code"

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15168
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Medical sociology
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Saito Shinya 岡山大学, 保健学研究科, 教授 (10335599)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 下妻 晃二郎 立命館大学, 生命科学部, 教授 (00248254) ; 児玉 聡 京都大学, 文学研究科, 准教授 (80372366)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: Slow code / スローコード / 心肺蘇生 / 医学的無益性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Most bioethicists condemn the practice of "slow codes”, which refers half-hearted or submaximal attempt at resuscitation. Nevertheless, some complain that the slow code should be allowed for the satisfaction of the family. Therefore, we conducted the survey for current condition of the slow code and physicians’ concerning. There were only 3% answered that the slow code must not be performed, while almost all physicians allowed and accepted it. Moreover, 16% answered that it was a good practice to perform, when considering sentiment of the patient family. On the contrary to the ethical textbook, most of physicians accept the "Slow code".

Free Research Field

医療倫理学