A Jewish Ethical Approach to Resource Allocation in Medicine

Abstract

The allocation of medical resources is an essential part of medical decision making. Though many recognize the need for a universal approach to resource allocation, none currently exists. In order to develop an ethical framework, physicians and ethicists must first agree which values should guide allocation decisions. There is much debate over what criteria should be included and what weight should be accorded to each of them. The goal of this paper is to identify the values currently being proposed and to compare them with the values that underlie Jewish approaches to resource allocation. I focus on principles highlighted by Persad et al and Brock. Persad identifies “ethical principles for allocation [that] can be classified into four categories, according to their core ethical values: treating people equally, favoring the worst-off, maximizing total benefits, and promoting and rewarding social usefulness” (2009, p. 423).  Brock includes the responsibility of the physician and the rule of rescue. Through an examination of the Jewish views on these secular approaches to rationing and the values that underlie them, I highlight the need for research and agreement on core values in secular ethics before the development of protocol.