One of us (M.B.Z.), a retired bench scientist via a medical family, has had a long commitment to Choice In Dying, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering communication about complex end-of-life decisions among individuals, their loved ones, and health care professionals. The organization is well known for inventing living wills in 1967 and providing the only national hotline to respond to patients and families during end-of-life crises. Choice In Dying also provides award-winning educational materials, public and physician education, and ongoing monitoring of changes in state and federal right-to-die legislation.

The other (H.D.Z.), in addition to sharing his spouse's interests, was in medical practice before becoming a consultation-liaison psychiatrist. He thus has had practical experience with dying patients as well as in teaching medical students and residents at the Mount Sinai Medical Center. When the opportunity arose to edit a book on medical futility, it seemed natural to do so as coeditors.

We are obligated to all who contributed chapters for taking on the task in the midst of their very busy lives and for their flexibility in accepting suggestions and making revisions. We hope that the resulting book proves timely and stimulating to readers of all ages and many disciplines and that it helps introduce younger readers to some of the issues relating to end-of-life care.

We are pleased to acknowledge another collaboration: the production of four children and our enjoyment of them and of our four children-in-law, and our eight grandchildren.