Is it wrong to prioritise patients who have the highest chance of survival during Covid-19?

Alaa Daoud*, Ezio Di Nucci

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Other contributionNet publication - Internet publicationResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Wilkinson proposed that health systems should aim to prioritise patients who have the highest chance of survival, based on Taurek’s ‘lifeboat’ experiment, where the general public chose to save five patients instead of one patient. This is no more or less true of saying that the current approaches are all in line with a utilitarian approach of maximising benefits. However, some Jewish and Islamic scholars advocated a non-utilitarian approach in saying that once treatment has begun it is not permissible to reallocate the treatment. In such matters bioethical principles must be considered to better provide equity for patients. However, when bioethical principles come into conflict in priority setting, it indicates the lack of guidelines to strike a positive balance between benefits and harms in decision-making...
Original languageEnglish
Publication date2020
PublisherBMJ Publishing Group
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Bibliographical note

Journal of Medical Ethics Blog, 08.06.2020

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