Briefed ethicists on #coronavirus. Most agree we should not allocate resources on first-come, first-served basis. So do we try to save the most individual lives or give priority to patients likely to survive the longest after treatment? Key question: How do we maximize benefit?
Example: In the setting of scarce #coronavirus vaccine, should we prioritize inoculation of older patients because COVID19 outcomes are worse in this group? Or prioritize young people because it may be better way to limit spread of the virus? Or should we just use a lottery?
New paper in @NEJM provides some guidance. Authors argue we should: 1) apply the same principles to all #COVID19 & non–Covid19 patients; 2) be responsive to evidence; 3) give priority to research participants & frontline healthcare workers. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
