Table 2 Participant Views and Underlying Principles for Resource Allocation
From: Ethical dilemmas in prioritizing patients for scarce radiotherapy resources
Participant Views | Relevant Allocation Principle |
|---|---|
Curative benefit should drive radiotherapy prioritization | Utilitarian goal of saving the most lives |
Life expectancy after cure should be considered | Utilitarian goal of saving the most life-years |
Children should be given a chance to live more life stages | Prioritarian goal of favoring “youngest first” |
Duty to alleviate immediate suffering with palliative radiotherapy | Moral and professional duty (deontology); Prioritarian goal of favoring “sickest first” or Rule of Rescue |
Contributors to society (e.g. mothers) should be prioritized | Instrumental social value |
High risk behaviors (e.g. tobacco use) should be penalized | Social value and reciprocity |
Impoverished patients should be prioritized | Social justice |