Evaluating Ethics And Ethical Committees Is On The Ri 209681

Evaluating Ethics And Ethical Committees Is On The Rise In The Health

Evaluating ethics and ethical committees is on the rise in the health care industry, and there is a new job title emerging: ethicist. This role focuses on consulting leadership teams on policies and education to best approach future ethical issues. Discuss the following questions: What is a current biomedical ethics issue in health care that concerns you? Explain your answer. Do you feel the biomedical ethics issue is being handled appropriately? Explain your answer.

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In recent years, one of the most pressing biomedical ethics issues in healthcare is the allocation of scarce medical resources, particularly during public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This issue revolves around how to fairly distribute limited life-saving treatments such as ventilators, ICU beds, and vaccines among patients when demand exceeds supply. The dilemma is compounded by questions of individual rights, societal benefit, fairness, and the moral responsibilities of healthcare providers and policymakers.

The concern with resource allocation arises from the reality that healthcare systems often operate under constraints, which became especially evident during pandemics or other mass casualty events. Ethically, this challenge tests the principles of justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Justice demands a fair distribution that does not discriminate based on race, socioeconomic status, or other irrelevant factors. beneficence and non-maleficence compel healthcare providers to act in the best interests of patients while avoiding harm.

During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, various triage protocols were implemented globally to determine who would receive critical care. These protocols typically prioritized patients based on severity, likelihood of recovery, and sometimes age or life expectancy. These criteria aimed to maximize the overall benefit, aligning with utilitarian principles. However, such policies also raised moral questions about valuing some lives over others and whether such decisions could unintentionally perpetuate social inequalities.

From my perspective, the handling of resource allocation during the pandemic was somewhat appropriate but imperfect. Many guidelines were developed rapidly and varied across regions, leading to inconsistencies and ethical dilemmas. In some cases, vulnerable populations such as the elderly or disabled faced biases embedded in triage protocols, which raised concerns about discrimination. While these decisions aimed to save as many lives as possible and were guided by difficult ethical considerations, the situational urgency sometimes overshadowed the nuanced ethical debates that ideally should be part of policy development.

The integration of bioethicists into decision-making processes has been instrumental in shaping more ethically sound protocols. Hospitals and health authorities increasingly recognize the importance of ethical oversight to balance competing principles fairly. Moreover, transparent communication with the public about the criteria used and the rationale behind such decisions helps maintain trust and legitimacy. Nonetheless, ongoing discussions about whether these protocols sufficiently protect vulnerable groups and respect individual rights are vital.

In conclusion, biomedical ethics issues such as resource allocation remain critical concerns in healthcare. While the approaches taken during crises like COVID-19 have been largely appropriate given the circumstances, they highlight the need for continual ethical evaluation and refinement. The role of ethicists is crucial in ensuring that policies are ethically justifiable, equitable, and transparent. Moving forward, a collaborative effort involving clinicians, ethicists, policymakers, and the public is essential to address such complex ethical dilemmas effectively.

References

- Emanuel, E. J., Persad, G., Upshur, R., Thome, B., Parker, M., Glickman, A., ... & Phillips, J. P. (2020). Fair Allocation of Scarce Medical Resources in the Time of Covid-19. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(21), 2049-2055.

- Persad, G., & Emanuel, E. (2020). Ethical Allocation of Scarce Medical Resources. JAMA, 324(10), 977–978.

- Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.

- Schüklenk, U., & Ashcroft, R. (2020). Ethical issues in prioritized allocation of scarce health resources. Bioethics, 34(2), 89-92.

- World Health Organization. (2020). Ethical considerations in the allocation of COVID-19 vaccines. WHO Publications.

- McMillan, J., & Evans, M. (2021). Ethics of resource allocation in health crises. Bioethical Inquiry, 18, 251–265.

- Gostin, L. O. (2021). Public health and ethical frameworks for delivering COVID-19 vaccines. JAMA Internal Medicine, 181(6), 733-734.

- Daniels, N. (2017). Just health: Meeting health needs fairly. Cambridge University Press.

- Rawls, J. (2005). A Theory of Justice. Harvard University Press.

- Childress, J. F., & Siegler, M. (2020). Principles, Practices, and Ethics of Allocation and Prioritization during Pandemics. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 48(2), 419-422.