In its most recent guidelines on ICU admissions, the Union Health Ministry stated that hospitals cannot admit critically ill patients if they and their families refuse to be admitted to the intensive care unit.
According to the guidelines compiled by a group of twenty-four experts, it is considered futile care to keep a patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) if there is no available or possible treatment for their disease or if the patient is terminally ill and continuing therapy will not improve their prognosis, particularly their chances of survival.
Patients with a treatment limitation plan, those with a living will or advanced directive prohibiting ICU care, and terminally ill patients with a medical opinion of futility and low priority criteria in the event of a pandemic or disaster where resources (e.g., beds, workforce, equipment) are limited are all considered.