Ethics in the age of COVID-19

The current COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to inflict unprecedented strain on healthcare systems worldwide. Hospitals are demonstrating great flexibility, with many outpatient consultations and elective operations widely cancelled. These decisions are not made lightly but as similar decisions are continued to be made, it is important to reflect on key ethical principles from the outset. The framework for ethical medical practice is governed by four key doctrines: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. These are essential components of clinical practice, especially when dealing with individual patients, but they may not provide enough guidance in unprecedented public health crises, such as the one we are currently dealing with.