Who Will Live, Who Will Die?
Who Should Not Be Saved in a Pandemic?
By LINDSEY TANNER,AP
Posted: 2008-05-05 13:28:17
Filed Under: Health News
CHICAGO (May 5) – 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.Now, an influential group of physicians has drafted a grimly specific list of recommendations for which patients wouldn’t be treated. They include the very elderly, seriously hurt trauma victims, severely burned patients and those with severe dementia.
The suggested list was compiled by a task force whose members come from prestigious universities, medical groups, the military and government agencies. They include the Department of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The proposed guidelines are designed to be a blueprint for hospitals “so that everybody will be thinking in the same way” when pandemic flu or another widespread health care disaster hits, said Dr. Asha Devereaux. She is a critical care specialist in San Diego and lead writer of the task force report.
The idea is to try to make sure that scarce resources – including ventilators, medicine and doctors and nurses – are used in a uniform, objective way, task force members said.
Their recommendations appear in a report appearing Monday in the May edition of Chest, the medical journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.
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In a triage environment, hard decisions are made by medical professionals on the spot based on the current situation.
It’s an unfortunate reality. However, planning in advance who you will treat regardless of the current situation or the individual is absolutely wrong.
The folks on the spot need freedom to act according to their training, treating patients as they arrive for care.
If something bad happens, the first time I see an injured person turned away because they are on the “Die” list, I’m going to start my own “Die” list. Starting with the scumbag who turns them away.
Lists can’t predetermine life, only an evaluation of a trained professional on the spot can do that, and I don’t envy them that difficult task; it goes with the job.
Our Elitist masters are really starting to push their luck with this idea.
As I have said before:
Fighting evil is a moral obligation. Fighting corruption is a civil obligation. Fighting tyranny is a political obligation. The battle against all three is the war to save humanity.
Time to choose sides.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:54 am
They show their true colors more and more every day, but the idiots who worship them are so blind to reality that it doesn’t even register a blip with them.
It makes you wonder what would have to happen to get the Chimpletons to pay attention.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
They will awaken when they find themselves on the “Die” list. As a matter of personal conscience, I would defend their right to medical aid as well. If lists like this prevail, I may be the best medical care they get, but nobody should die alone and in pain.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I agree Jim, although having to listen to me rant about Chimpy might not be the most pleasant way to end your time either