Pandemic: Who Lives, Who Dies?
Who should MDs let die in a pandemic? Report offers answers
Doctors know some patients needing lifesaving care won’t get it in a flu pandemic or other disaster. The gut-wrenching dilemma will be deciding who to let die.
Those who go are:
People older than 85.
Those with severe trauma, which could include critical injuries from car crashes and shootings.
Severely burned patients older than 60.
Those with severe mental impairment, which could include advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
Those with a severe chronic disease, such as advanced heart failure, lung disease or poorly controlled diabetes.
Why is this important?
The end of the article:
“You never know,” Devereaux said. “SARS took a lot of folks by surprise. We didn’t even know it existed.”
