COVID-19 ON THE SORTING OF PATIENTS

Abstract

With the covid-19 pandemic, the notion of sorting patients has burst into public opinion with a pejorative connotation. Two theories seem to clash between utilitarianism and practical wisdom. This is a paradigm shift: we no longer treat one individual, but as many as possible. In fact, to respond to the constraints of the pandemic, professionals have to make compromises. They must adapt the care to the available means and to the circumstances. Therapeutic actions must be in accordance with current scientific data and be consistent with the recommendations of learned societies. It respects the standards of the community in which we live. But above all, it targets the interests of the sick person, rejecting any form of paternalism. It is a compromise, made with humanity, which must remain within the understanding of ethical rules.