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Bioethics in Medical Care Rationing During the Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic
Alejandra González-Duarte1, Martha Kaufer-Horwitz2, Gerardo Gamba3
1Department of Neurology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMyNSZ), Mexico City, Mexico.
Insights
The COVID-19 pandemic created ethical dilemmas, forcing difficult choices between unacceptable options. Public health measures sometimes led to collateral damage, impacting well-being and healthcare access.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Public Health Emergencies
Background:
- The Coronavirus (CoV) disease (COVID)-19 pandemic presented complex ethical challenges.
- Situations arose where clear ethical actions were obscured, or choices involved equally undesirable outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the ethical dilemmas and collateral damage associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To analyze the impact of public health measures on individual rights and well-being.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive web search was conducted.
- Keywords included "bioethics," "COVID-19," "ethics," "severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2," "emergent care," "pandemic," and "public health emergencies."
Main Results:
- COVID-19 protection measures led to canceled medical interventions, increased suffering, and potential non-COVID-19 deaths.
- Prolonged lockdowns negatively affected well-being, mental health, and increased medical risks.
- Restrictions on hospital visitations and patient care were noted as collateral damage.
Conclusions:
- Balancing competing ethical considerations remains a significant challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Public health interests may supersede individual rights in severe community harm scenarios.
Background:
Coronavirus (CoV) disease (COVID)-19 poses difficult situations in which the ethical course of action is not clear, or choices are made between equally unacceptable responses.
Methods:
A web search was performed using the terms "bioethics; COVID-19; ethics; severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2; emergent care; pandemic; and public health emergencies."
Results:
Protection from COVID-19 has resulted in the cancellation of necessary medical interventions, lengthened suffering, and potential non-COVID-19 deaths. Prolonged lockdown reduced well-being, triggering or aggravating mental illnesses and violence, and escalated medical risks. Collateral damage includes restrictions on visitations to hospitals, alienation from the deceased relative, or lack of warm caring of patients. Finally, in a public health crisis, public health interest overrides individual rights if it results in severe harm to the community.
Conclusion:
Balancing ethical dilemmas are one more challenge in the COVID-19 pandemic.
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