Ethical Dilemmas in Mask and Equipment Shortages

This is a past event

Health Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Online Viewing

Fully captioned video of the panel discussion and panelists’ slide presentations below!

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Event Description

Personal protective equipment or PPE has been a major topic of discussion across the nation. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed major shortages of PPE and health care workers are being asked take care of patients with what some would argue is inadequate protection. The guidelines set by the CDC have changed and recommendations have even gone so far as to approve bandannas as a means for respiratory protection. Some have argued that it is unethical for health care workers to not have adequate protection, while others think it’s their duty, protected or not. Adding to this debate has been theft, hoarding and disparate distribution of these critical supplies. During this panel discussion moderator Carmel Shachar, Stephen P. Wood, Christine Mitchell and Dr. Michael Mina explored the ethics of PPE in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Panelists

  • Stephen P. Wood, Fellow in Bioethics, Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School
  • Christine Mitchell, Executive Director, Center for Bioethics, Harvard Medical School
  • Michael Mina, Assistant Professor, Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Moderator: Carmel Shachar, Executive Director, Petrie-Flom Center and Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School

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Slide Presentations

Sponsored by the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School and the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School.