Reallocating Ventilators During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Is it Ethical?

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our society to evaluate our core values and ethics. In a crisis like none other, health care facilities and physicians are now facing shortages of ventilators, beds, and even basic personal protective equipment. Many physicians are already facing a profound ethical dilemma: how to allocate these resources during shortages1-4; with some hospitals, states and countries even having to establish policies on which groups of patients to prioritize in providing lifesaving treatment during the COVID-19 crisis.
Source: Surgery - Category: Surgery Authors: Source Type: research