Ethics and the law in emergency medicine

Abstract

When ethical issues arise in emergency medical practice, many emergency physicians turn to the law for answers. Although knowing when and how the law applies to emergency medicine is important, the law is only one factor to consider among many factors. Additionally, the law may not be applicable or may not be clear, or the ethical considerations may seem to conflict with legal aspects of emergency medical treatment. Situations where ethics and the law may seem to be in conflict in emergency medicine are described and analyzed in this article, and recommendations are offered. In general, when facing ethical dilemmas in emergency medical practice, the emergency physician should take into account the ethical considerations before turning to the legal considerations.