Skip to main content
Log in

Decision to use the respirator: Moral policy

  • Published:
Bioethics Quarterly Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of the respirator is a major technological breakthrough for modern medicine. However, like other technologies, its use has caused new moral problems. This article concentrates on the moral and ethical components of decisions to employ the respirator. In developing a moral policy for its use, the author attempts to circumvent the standard distinction of ordinary and extraordinary means in favor of a policy of reasonable means which respects a number of values in crisis situations. The article ends with some applications to cases to demonstrate the viability of the proposed moral policy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thomasma, D.C. Decision to use the respirator: Moral policy. Bioethics Quarterly 2, 229–236 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917114

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917114

Keywords

Navigation