Do you think Doctors should be given GODLIKE duties in determining who lives or dies if a Pandemic breaks out?

Doctors know some patients needing lifesaving care won't get it in a flu pandemic or other disaster. The gut-wrenching dilemma will be deciding who to let die.
Hospitals should designate a triage team with the Godlike task of deciding who will and who won't get lifesaving care, the task force wrote. Those out of luck are the people at high risk of death and a slim chance of long-term survival include:
People older than 85.
Those with severe trauma, which could include critical injuries from car crashes and shootings.
Severely burned patients older than 60.
Those with severe mental impairment, which could include advanced Alzheimer's disease.
Those with a severe chronic disease, such as advanced heart failure, lung disease or poorly controlled diabetes.
Dr. Kevin Yeskey, director of the preparedness and emergency operations office at the Department of Health and Human Services, was on the task force. He said the report would be among many the agency reviews as part of preparednes

Having worked in emergency medicine for many years, I completely understand the scenario. I've done multiple casualty triage at car accidents. It's no fun, but it has to be done sometimes.

The rule of thumb is to "Do the most good for the most people." With a finite amount of resources, you have a moral obligation to apply those resources where they will do the most good. Occasionally, that means withholding treatment from a person who has a very low expectation of survival in order to give that treatment to someone who will actually benefit from it. As I said, it's not an easy decision, but if no one makes the decision, no one will get help.

If you have the choice between saving 5 people or one, you should choose 5.

If you have the choice between possibly saving one person or defanatly saving another you should choose the one who is more likley to survive. Why have 2 people die when only one should?


Its not an easy decision and I would not want to be the one choose.

In an emergency you have (at least) two options...

1) Treat people entirely randomly - first come first serve.
2) Treat people based on their chance of survival, thus ensuring the most saved lives.

I know, option two can seem heartless at times... but in the end its probably best.