Robert D. Truog, M.D. Professor of Medical Ethics & Anaesthesia (Pediatrics), Director of Clinical Ethics, Harvard Medical School
Executive Director, Institute for Professionalism and Ethical Practice, Senior Associate in Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston

Seminar TopicFour dying babies, three life-saving machines
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of cardiopulmonary bypass that can save the lives of patients with heart and/or lung failure. This seminar will explore the ethical questions raised by an actual event that occurred several years ago when the seminar leader was Director of the ECMO program at Children's Hospital Boston and was faced with the dilemma of having four critically ill babies in need of ECMO but only three ECMO machines. In this modern day "lifeboat" case we will discuss different ethical approaches to triage decisions and rationing at the bedside.

To learn more about Dr. Robert Truog click here.
http://medethics.med.harvard.edu/people/truog/