Medical ethicists criticize doctors refusing to treat the unvaccinated

[Algernon Moncrieff]

Yahoo News

They are not alone in wondering whether people who choose to overwhelm health care providers and create dangerously overcrowded hospitals by refusing vaccination should be deprioritized in the health care system. A leaked memo from the co-chair of the North Texas Mass Critical Care Guideline Task Force, a volunteer group that periodically updates medical guidelines for hospitals in the region, also indicated that the task force was considering whether to take vaccination status into account when deciding who gets an ICU bed when numbers get low. That decision has since been scrapped.

While it is legal for doctors to stop seeing a patient for any reason that doesn’t violate laws against discrimination on the basis of race, sex and gender, medical ethics standards can go beyond the letter of the law.

The law, according to Moreno, is not an effective barometer of right and wrong in the medical field, because it doesn’t have perfect guidance in every situation. He noted that, in the late 1980s, during the HIV AIDS epidemic, some doctors denied care to patients — who were more likely to be gay, Black or to belong to another marginalized group.

“This is very dangerous,” Moreno said. “Once the medical profession starts deciding, picking and choosing who can be cared for and who not for whatever reason, we’re in a really bad position.

[lagomorph777]

1. It's called "triage". Those who deliberately harm themselves...

...should never take priority over those who are suffering through no fault of their own.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

2. Health care professionals are tired and the system is strained past limits

But we also live in the culture of "whataboutism" - so we can get into debates on whether doctors can now refuse to treat heart patients who weren't enthusiastic about weight loss or cancer patients who would not stop smoking. It is not a dissimilar debate to whether insurance rates should be raised on the unvaxxed. Some say yes. others say it is essentially like charging for a preexisting condition and steadfastly oppose.

[Zeitghost]

6. That is not

What triage entails. It has nothing to do with who "deserves" treatment based on past decisions/actions.

[Bucky]

13. Thank you. It's beyond me how people can knowing let their anger trump the compassion

I mean, vaxx refusers piss me off too. But they're mostly victims of the misinformation charletans. We need to save as many as we can.

Triage is for when you're running out of resources, not when you're running out of patience or the political will to support the frontline workers

[lagomorph777]

14. We're running out of resources. Triage is happening.

It's not really optional at this point.

[Zeitghost]

15. Yes

But punishing past poor healthcare decisions has never been a part of triage. Ever.

[markie]

3. there has always been

picking and choosing who gets care... it's just that often the reason why is not discussed... money, time, accessibility, availability, insurance, etc...

it is past time to refuse to treat people (when space and time is stretched) that voluntarily choose to be careless with their health and all those around them...

[Zeitghost]

5. Where do you draw the line?

Where do you draw the line?

Unvaccinated?
Drug addict?
Heavy Drinker?
Smoker?
BMI over 30?

All of the above have been careless with their health.


The above reference to the Aids epidemic are spot on. There are many on the right who used to call for healthcare decisions to be made based on personal choices the patient had made. It was wrong then and it is wrong now.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

7. One line we can draw - I think

If an individual tells the hospital providing care "I want to leave so I can self medicate with (fill in the blank)" then I think those doctors should be able to say "we're out - do what you want."

Beyond that, it is a grey area. I have no issues with employers insisting on vaccination or find alternative employment. This isn't like failing to take a flu shot. 1 in every 500 Americans has died from this, and companies have the right to invoke the doctrines of workplace safety and self preservation.

[LanternWaste]

10. You do realize no one here draws any lines at all, yes?

You seem to invest more power into these posts than reality may otherwise allow.

I'm sure there's a line or two to draw. Enjoy!

[Jirel]

12. EASY line to draw.

Are you endangering your medical providers and other patients through your behavior? Bye, hope you get reincarnated having learned something from your death.

Are you merely hurting yourself? Treat this person.

Very easy, bright line.

[Zeitghost]

16. At what level of contagion

Does the health and safety of a healthcare worker come into play? Does Hep C count?

[Xoan]

4. F this clown.

[RobinA]

8. First they came

for the anti-vaxers…

If this is what people who call themselves Democrats sound like, there really is no hope.

[Raven123]

9. Do the ethicists have an answer for overwhelmed facilities and exhausted health care personnel?

I understand their concern, but I honestly don’t know how the frontline healthcare providers can be expected to continue without some respite. This is but an extreme consequence of a system that is expected to serve everyone without prejudice, but without adequate resources. Remember those who don’t believe in universal health insurance, but expected providers to care for everyone led to consolidation of healthcare systems and elimination of hospitals.

[Jirel]

11. Horse crap.

Once again, medical “ethicists” show they have all the relevance of theater critics.

Are they speaking out against the hospitals, doctors, pharmacists, etc. refusing abortion and contraception? Barely a whisper. Cowards.

But choose not to treat idiots who are endangering the lives of everyone around them, including the medical personnel and other patients in the vicinity, not to mention the general public? Oh noes! The pearls must be clutched! No, sorry, there is nothing ethical on requiring medical personnel to treat people in person who are endangering them and others, proclaim loudly that public health experts and the very personnel risking their lives to treat them are liars and out to cripple and kill people, and who abuse medical personnel verbally and even physically.

In the small town where my office is located, we have now lost 2 doctors to COVID. One’s loss was probably a benefit to his patients, but the other’s was a horrible tragedy for the community. But no moron screaming “COVID is a hoax! Do your research! The vaccine is a poison!” is worth the life of a medical professional. Let them do as they preach, stay home, and live or die by their “research.”