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Comment
. 2020 Aug;46(8):526-530.
doi: 10.1136/medethics-2020-106320. Epub 2020 Jun 16.

Triage of critical care resources in COVID-19: a stronger role for justice

Lynette Reid  1
Affiliations
Comment

Triage of critical care resources in COVID-19: a stronger role for justice

Lynette Reid. J Med Ethics. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Some ethicists assert that there is a consensus that maximising medical outcomes takes precedence as a principle of resource allocation in emergency triage of absolutely scarce resources. But the nature of the current severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 pandemic and the history of debate about balancing equity and efficiency in resource allocation do not support this assertion. I distinguish a number of concerns with justice and balancing considerations that should play a role in critical care triage policy, focusing on discrimination and on fundamental egalitarian and social justice concerns.

Keywords: distributive justice; public health ethics; resource allocation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Comment on

References

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