Ethical Considerations for the Cancellation of Non-Urgent Surgeriesduring the COVID-19 Pandemic and Suggestions for Future HealthCrises

In light of the national emergency the pandemic has spawned, hospitals across the United States made the decision\r\nto cancel non-urgent surgeries to free up resources and personnel and protect healthcare workers, patients, and the\r\npublic from further spread. By one estimate, the initial wave of COVID-19 will lead to 28 million surgeries being\r\npostponed worldwide, with 343,670 projected cancellations each week in the USA alone over the course of a 12-\r\nweek peak. This is an unprecedented disruption in the modern system of healthcare delivery that has the potential\r\nto produce long-lasting deleterious effects and troublesome ethical dilemmas.