Bioethics and COVID-19: lessons for a post-pandemic future

[Note: The slide presentation is not available from this event.] The COVID-19 pandemic presented a critical need for bioethics engagement as the U.S. (and the world) faced the stark reality that the demand for critical care resources would exceed supply. This session begins by reviewing general approaches to bioethical challenges through an overview of major philosophical approaches with attention to Beauchamp and Childress' (Four) Principles of Biomedical Ethics. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a paradigm, it will explore the successes and lessons learned from the work of bioethics in the pandemic context. The experience of COVID-19 and the disparities laid bare will serve as an introduction to a variety of lenses, strategies, and opportunities through which bioethics can strive to chart a path forward to achieve health care justice in its broadest forms. The presentation concludes with practical guidance regarding both identifying ethical challenges and approaches in health care generally and candidate opportunities for progress in the future.