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COVID-19 pandemic, the scarcity of medical resources, community-centred medicine and discrimination against persons with disabilities.
Panocchia, Nicola; D'ambrosio, Viola; Corti, Serafino; Lo Presti, Eluisa; Bertelli, Marco; Scattoni, Maria Luisa; Ghelma, Filippo.
  • Panocchia N; Department of Nephrology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Roma, Italy nicola.panocchia@policlinicogemelli.it.
  • D'ambrosio V; Charter of Rights for People with Disabilities in Hospital, Roma, Italy.
  • Corti S; Department of Nephrology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Roma, Italy.
  • Lo Presti E; Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy.
  • Bertelli M; Charter of Rights for People with Disabilities in Hospital, Roma, Italy.
  • Scattoni ML; Disabilities Department, Fondazione Istituto Ospedaliero di Sospiro, Sospiro, Italy.
  • Ghelma F; Association for the Study of Medical Assistance to People with a Disability (ASMeD), Milano, Italy.
J Med Ethics ; 2021 Apr 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1172772
ABSTRACT
This research aims to examine access to medical treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic for people living with disabilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the practical and ethical problems of allocating limited medical resources such as intensive care unit beds and ventilators became critical. Although different countries have proposed different guidelines to manage this emergency, these proposed criteria do not sufficiently consider people living with disabilities. People living with disabilities are therefore at a higher risk of exclusion from medical treatments as physicians tend to assume they have poor quality of life, whereas access to medical treatment should be based on several parameters, including clinical data and prognosis. However, the COVID-19 pandemic shifts the medical paradigm from person-centred medicine to community-centred medicine, challenging the main ethical theories. We reviewed the main guidelines and recommendations for resources allocation and examined their position toward persons with disabilities. Based on our findings, we propose criteria for not discriminating against people with disabilities in allocating resources. The shift from person-centred to community-centred medicine offers opportunities but also risks sacrificing the most vulnerable people. The principle of reasonable accommodation must always be considered to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Prognostic study Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Medethics-2020-107198

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Prognostic study Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Medethics-2020-107198