Materials

Issue 165: Sass, Hans- Martin: Medizinische Ethik bei Notstand, Krieg und Terror. Verantwortungskulturen bei Triage, Endemien und Terror. February 2006

Hans-Martin Sass discusses ethical aspects of medical responsibility in states of emergency, catastrophes, and situations of triage, endemics of infectious diseases, bioterror and biowar. Using classical concepts of ‘just war’ theory, he provides arguments for differentiating between normal or ordinary rules for normal situations and special or extraordinary rules for extraordinary situations in protecting human lives and human rights. He calls for fair and very detailed information and advice to citizens, public debate on ethics of responsibility in emergencies, integration of emergency medicine into education and continuing education of physicians and nurses, and for a higher priority of emergency preparedness in public health and public health ethics.