Medical Care Policy

The following is Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's medical care policy:

• We respect the patient's right to participate in making decisions about his or her medical care.
  
  
• We will talk openly with the patient about his or her care. The patient's care will be guided by the best medical practice. While the patient will be asked to participate in medical research studies, participation is voluntary. The patient's medical needs have priority over the objectives of any research study.
  
  
• We encourage patients to designate someone to make decisions for them, if they are unable to make decisions for themselves.
  
  
• If a patient's condition reaches a point where recovery is not realistically possible, we will not recommend treatments that prolong suffering. We will make every reasonable effort to keep the patient comfortable and without pain.