In this paper, I consider the thesis advanced by Lawrence J. Schneiderman a
nd Nancy S. Jecker that physicians should be forbidden from offering futile
treatments to patients. I distinguish between a version of this thesis tha
t is trivially true and Schneiderman and Jecker's more substantive version
of the thesis. I find that their positive arguments for their thesis are un
successful, and sometimes quite misleading. I advance an argument against t
heir thesis, and find that, on balance, their thesis should be rejected. I
briefly argue that a resolution of the debate about medical futility will r
equire addressing deeper issues about value.