Skintegrity: Ethical choices in synthetic versus autologous grafting

The growing use of synthetic skin substitutes versus autologous grafts in dermatologic reconstruction represents a significant development in the field that extends beyond technical surgical considerations into broader questions of medical ethics. Physicians deciding which graft is preferable are increasingly facing ethical dilemmas. They are balancing clinical outcomes, patient preferences, procedural risks, and health care costs. Each of these issues is associated with distinct implications concerning patient autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and financial stewardship. Notably, the expanding use of synthetic skin substitutes has also generated increasing ethical concern about financial incentives and conflicts of interest.