Who should be first to receive scarce health-related resources during a severe influenza pandemic? How should scarce resources (such as antivirals, masks, vaccines, and ventilators) be rationed? How will you communicate a public health perspective to your community and promote rationing strategies to further our common good? How will you educate people and enlist their support of a statewide plan to ration resources in ways intended to be fair, preserve public safety, and save the most lives?

Ethicists in Minnesota worked with state and local public health agencies and community members to develop an ethical framework consisting of principles, goals, and strategies to protect the public¿s health during a severe pandemic. This framework is intended to guide the Minnesota Department of Health's decisions and rationing of several critical health-related resources for prevention, treatment and personal protection.

On June 5, 2008, a panel of ethicists presented an ethical framework and the complex ethical issues associated with deciding how to set priorities for groups to receive vital health-related resources when everyone is at risk. After the presentation, attendees participated in exercises via distance learning technology. 

Learning objectives

• Discuss ethical requirements, especially the requirements of fairness, that should inform state plans to ration critical health resources during an influenza pandemic;
• Describe a process for engaging diverse community representatives in developing an ethical, fair framework for rationing;
• Discuss strategies and operational protocols to fairly implement rationing recommendations.

Video

To watch the streaming video, your computer needs:

• Internet connection with a 56K modem or faster.
• Sound card with speakers so you can hear the audio portion of the course.
• Real Player Software - if it isn't installed on your computer, download it for free at http://real.com.

Click below for the video and exercises from June 5, 2008

• Pandemic Ethics Panel Presentation
• Download the Presentation Slides
• Download the Exercises
  • Exercise A (Vulnerable Populations/Health Disparities)
  • Exercise B (Age)
  • Exercise C (Key Workers)

Speakers

Debra A. DeBruin, PhD, is Director of Education in the Center for Bioethics, University of Minnesota.

J. Eline (Ellie) Garrett, JD, is the Assistant Director for Health Policy and Public Health for the Minnesota Center for Health Care Ethics in Minneapolis.

Angela Witt Prehn, PhD, is a Center Associate for the Minnesota Center for Health Care Ethics and an adjunct professor, University of Minnesota.

Mary Faith Marshall, PhD, is Associate Dean for Social Medicine and Medical Humanities and Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School.

More Information

Minnesota Pandemic Ethics Project