The shortage of medical equipment in the UK leads to the fact that physicians are physically unable to save everyone whose coronavirus infection caused complications.
In this regard, the British Medical Association allowed doctors to choose for themselves which patient to connect to the mechanical ventilation system in case of lack of equipment. Among the criteria by which the selection will be held there are survival and the ability to benefit society. Also, doctors were allowed to sacrifice older people in favor of younger ones.
“It may happen that doctors have to refuse certain patients treatment in order to save other patients whose survival chances are higher”, – the Association said.
It is noted that even those who are recovering, but statistically “have a worse prognosis than another patient who needs the same equipment”, can refuse to continue treatment.
According to the forecasts of the British Medical Association, next week, doctors will receive only thirty mechanical ventilation devices from the required 30 thousand.