Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Critical Care 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Triage | Editorial

Ethics guidelines on COVID-19 triage—an emerging international consensus

Authors: Susanne Joebges, Nikola Biller-Andorno

Published in: Critical Care | Issue 1/2020

Login to get access

Excerpt

COVID-19—classified as a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020—is expected to put tremendous strain on many healthcare systems. Early epidemiological analyses show that compared to the seasonal flu, COVID-19 patients may require ventilation much more frequently [1]. This can lead to a shortage of ventilators and intensive care resources, resulting in limited medical care and death [2]. Whereas some countries have been exposed very early [3], others had the opportunity to prepare for the ethical challenges that emerge when intensive care resources become scarce. …
Literature
1.
go back to reference Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, Liang WH, Ou CQ, He JX, et al. Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(18):1708-20. Guan WJ, Ni ZY, Hu Y, Liang WH, Ou CQ, He JX, et al. Clinical characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(18):1708-20.
3.
go back to reference Rosenbaum L. Facing Covid-19 in Italy - ethics, logistics, and therapeutics on the epidemic’s front line. N Engl J Med. 2020;34(2):271-7. Rosenbaum L. Facing Covid-19 in Italy - ethics, logistics, and therapeutics on the epidemic’s front line. N Engl J Med. 2020;34(2):271-7.
4.
go back to reference Sprung CL, Woodcock T, Sjokvist P, Ricou B, Bulow HH, Lippert A, et al. Reasons, considerations, difficulties and documentation of end-of-life decisions in European intensive care units: the ETHICUS study. Intensive Care Med. 2008;34(2):271–7.CrossRef Sprung CL, Woodcock T, Sjokvist P, Ricou B, Bulow HH, Lippert A, et al. Reasons, considerations, difficulties and documentation of end-of-life decisions in European intensive care units: the ETHICUS study. Intensive Care Med. 2008;34(2):271–7.CrossRef
7.
go back to reference Daugherty Biddison EL, Faden R, Gwon HS, Mareiniss DP, Regenberg AC, Schoch-Spana M, et al. Too many patients … a framework to guide statewide allocation of scarce mechanical ventilation during disasters. Chest. 2019;155(4):848–54.CrossRef Daugherty Biddison EL, Faden R, Gwon HS, Mareiniss DP, Regenberg AC, Schoch-Spana M, et al. Too many patients … a framework to guide statewide allocation of scarce mechanical ventilation during disasters. Chest. 2019;155(4):848–54.CrossRef
14.
go back to reference Meyfroidt G, Vlieghe E, Biston P, De Decker K, Wittebole X, Collin V, Depuydt P, Duc Nam N, Hermans G, Jorens P, Ledoux d, Taccone F, Devisch I. Ethical principles concerning proportionality of critical care during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium: advice by the Belgian Society of Intensive care medicine – _update 26-03-2020. [Available from: http://www.siz.be/2020. Accessed 10 Apr 2020. Meyfroidt G, Vlieghe E, Biston P, De Decker K, Wittebole X, Collin V, Depuydt P, Duc Nam N, Hermans G, Jorens P, Ledoux d, Taccone F, Devisch I. Ethical principles concerning proportionality of critical care during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in Belgium: advice by the Belgian Society of Intensive care medicine – _update 26-03-2020. [Available from: http://​www.​siz.​be/​2020. Accessed 10 Apr 2020.
15.
go back to reference Biller-Andorno N, Biller A. Algorithm-aided prediction of patient preferences – an ethics sneak peek. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(15):1480–5.CrossRef Biller-Andorno N, Biller A. Algorithm-aided prediction of patient preferences – an ethics sneak peek. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(15):1480–5.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Ethics guidelines on COVID-19 triage—an emerging international consensus
Authors
Susanne Joebges
Nikola Biller-Andorno
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Critical Care / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1364-8535
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-020-02927-1

Other articles of this Issue 1/2020

Critical Care 1/2020 Go to the issue