Freakonomics Radio 413. Who Gets the Ventilator?
15 snips
Apr 16, 2020 
Parag Pathak, an MIT economics professor, sheds light on the challenging decisions involved in ventilator allocation during crises. Alongside Ezekiel Emanuel, a bioethicist and architect of Obamacare, they explore the moral complexities of prioritizing healthcare workers over patients. Dr. Meilan Han, a pulmonary expert, adds depth by discussing how ventilators function and the biases inherent in traditional allocation methods. They advocate for a more equitable framework amidst the ongoing dilemmas posed by limited resources, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Resource Allocation in Pandemics
- During a pandemic with limited resources, allocating life-saving equipment raises ethical dilemmas.
- Factors like age, social status, and profession complicate prioritization.
Economics and Ethics
- Economics intertwines with ethics and philosophy when prices cannot be used for resource allocation.
- The COVID-19 pandemic and ventilator shortages exemplify this intersection.
New York's Initial Ventilator Guidelines
- New York's ventilator guidelines initially didn't prioritize essential personnel, causing concern among healthcare workers.
- The rationale was to prevent all ventilators from going solely to essential personnel, potentially excluding others.