Ethical considerations in the management of Ebola virus disease.
Is it ethically appropriate in some circumstances for HCWs to decline to care for patients with EVD? How should treatment decisions be made regarding limitation of therapy for patients with EVD? There are two main ethical questions regarding the critical care of patients with EVD in an Australian setting: Is it ethically appropriate in some circumstances for HCWs to decline to care for patients with EVD? How should treatment decisions be made regarding limitation of therapy for patients with EVD? The key concern is ensuring that no patient is denied therapy that should be provided, while preventing unnecessary risk to HCWs. It is imperative to develop an approach that facilitates rigorous, evidence-based and ethically justifiable decision making, which should include a predetermined, institutionally endorsed process for assessing difficult clinical scenarios as they arise.
Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW thomassolano@netscape.net.
Thomas
T
Solano
University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.
Gwendolyn L
GL
Gilbert
Ethics and the Law in Medicine, Sydney, NSW.
Ian H
IH
Kerridge
Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW.
Vineet
V
Nayyar
Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW.
Angela
A
Berry
D001315:Australia; D001675:Bioethics; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional / Q000941:ethics / Q000517:prevention & control; D016079:Refusal to Treat / Q000941:ethics