Rationing health care--should it be done?

1. The utilitarian view supports allocation of goods to meet the needs of the greatest number of people; Lamm contends that the only just rationing would be according to age. 2. Some theorists assume that all individuals will live relatively healthily until the end of their natural lifespan; they do not distinguish between therapeutic medications and those that alleviate suffering. 3. According to intergenerational arguments, children should receive priority in funding, with the elderly at the lower end of the scale. 4. The Advisory Panel of the Office of Technology Assessment recommends rationing based on prognosis and quality of life; however, good prognostic skills are lacking and there is no consensus on quality of life.