title: Ethical Questions about Platelet Transfusions at the End of Life.
abstract: This case of platelet transfusion in palliative care illustrates a common dilemma in transfusion medicine: approval of the use of a scarce, yet potentially life-saving, resource. As in this case, these decisions often involve seriously ill patients with acute needs and evolving goals of care. The use of resources to treat the patient at hand must be balanced against maintaining adequate resources to treat future patients. In this setting, the ethical principles of beneficence and social justice are in conflict.
authors.affiliation: Anatomic and clinical pathology resident at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sherbeck
authors.affiliation: Associate professor in neonatology, palliative care, and bioethics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Berman Institute of Bioethics in Baltimore.
authors.forename: Renee D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Boss
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000941:ethics*; D006295:Health Resources / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000941:ethics*; D017713:Platelet Transfusion / Q000941:ethics*; D012935:Social Justice; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*