Purpose of review: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and recent global recessions have brought to the forefront of the medical-political discussion the fact that medical resources are finite and have focused a spotlight on fair allocation and prioritization of healthcare resources describe why this review is timely and relevant.
Recent findings: This review presents past and present concepts related to the ethics of resource allocation. Included are discussions regarding the topics of who should determine resource allocation, what types of research require allocation, methods currently in use to determine what resources are appropriate and which should be prioritized.describe the main themes in the literature covered by the article.
Summary: Models for resource allocation must differentiate between different types of resources, some of which may require early preparation or distribution. Local availability of specific resources, supplies and infrastructure must be taken into consideration during preparation. When planning for long durations of limited resource availability, the limitations of human resilience must also be considered. Preparation also requires information regarding the needs of the specific population at hand (e.g. age distributions, disease prevalence) and societal preferences must be acknowledged within possible limits.
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