Resource Allocation This article by Webb, Shah & Fernandez Lynch addresses ethical issues in allocating access to unproven but promising drugs that become available through Pre-Approval Access (PAA) programs and Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). PAA programs allow access to unapproved
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Supplies As reported in this Axios article, FDA released a list of medical supplies that remain in short supply. FDA is required to provide this list under provisions of the CARES Act passed in March 2020, based on mandatory reports
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Personal Protective Equipment A quality improvement study looking at comparative fitted filtration efficiencies for various mask styles found N95 makes had efficiencies of 98.%; surgical mask with ties was 71.5%; procedure mask with ear loops was 38.1%. Used and/or expired
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Health Care Workers This article by Feinstein et al. addresses the potential for a mental health crisis among frontline health care workers as a result of the pandemic and surrounding circumstances, such as lack of PPE, shortages of critical care
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RESOURCE ALLOCATION This Health Affairs article by Kanter, Segal & Groeneveld (also covered in this STAT article) discusses the role of income disparities in access to ICU beds as related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors examine disparities by median
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This call to action was written by an international consortium of long term care researchers. They draw a direct line from the societal under-responses, globally, for the support and safety of workers in nursing homes to the devaluation of these
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Facilities & Providers In response to case surge in Arizona, hospitals in the state requested waiver of several legal requirements that generally protect patients against abuse, neglect, and discrimination, as detailed in this Arizona Republic article. The state health department
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TRIAGE AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION This webinar on Thursday at 3pm EST from the Network for Public Health Law includes expert speakers on critical ethical issues related to COVID-19, including ventilator allocation, triage priority, and the consideration of age, disabilities, and
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HEALTH CARE WORKERS This article focuses on the continued problem of nursing home staffing as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before the pandemic, nursing home shortages of direct-care staff were common and persistent. The fact that nursing home residents
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This review was posted on behalf of Spencer Hofschulte-Beck, medical student at Marian University, and approved by Dr. Kathleen Unroe, IU School of Medicine Associate Professor, geriatrician, and IU Center for Aging Research Scientist. COVID-19 Testing of healthcare workers This
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