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Right before our eyes, the most egregious aspect of COVID-19 has had its ugly head raised since the first news of the impending pandemic. Much of our attention during this pandemic has been focused on its deadly nature; economic impact; disruption in education; and the political battle over wearing face masks. But none of us have paid attention the blatant disregard for medical ethics.
Let me frame this column by saying a little bit about medical ethics. Put simply, this is a branch of medicine that examines (and upholds) the concepts/principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. Respect for autonomy – the patient has the right to refuse or choose their treatment. Beneficence – a medical provider should always act in the best interest of the patient. Non-maleficence – to not be the cause of harm. In other words, whatever is done to a patient, it should provide the potential for more good than harm. Justice – concerns the distribution of scarce health res