"Shoving us off the lifeboat in a pandemic"

That's the title of Steve Drake's (Not Dead Yet) response to this story by the Associated Press yesterday which reports on a list of recommendations/guidelines that a panel have drafted for which patients doctors shouldn't treat (should let die) in the event of a pandemic or other disaster.

If hospitals were to follow the recommendations to a tee, those patients that wouldn't be treated during a pandemic 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.

Here is a link to the AP story. And here is a link to Steve Drake's response.