key: cord-0683179-2uhye0wl
authors: Sahebi, Ali; Moayedi, Siamak; Golitaleb, Mohamad
title: COVID-19 pandemic and the ethical challenges in patient care
date: 2020-12-19
journal: J Med Ethics Hist Med
DOI: 10.18502/jmehm.v13i24.4955
sha: 674ad4def4faf5ec6dd1e3f8945e7285d79138d7
doc_id: 683179
cord_uid: 2uhye0wl

nan

The COVID-19 disease is a recent human infectious disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus has affected almost all world's countries, and hence challenged the global healthcare system (1) . Healthcare providers should comprehend ethical aspects of providing care services during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the following factors highlight the need for providing ethical care services: (i) ongoing advances in diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, (ii) discovery of new pharmaceuticals, and (iii) disparities in accessing to healthcare among the pandemic-affected (2) . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have proposed healthcare guidelines for standard precautions while caring for the COVID-19 patients and observing quarantine principles (3) . Social distancing and quarantining can lead to neglect of vulnerable patients, discrimination against them, as well as limiting their access to health services, educational and social programs. The consequences of social distancing and quarantining can become risk factors in violating patient rights. Physicians and nurses have a moral duty to fulfill patients' rights (2, 4) , and failure to adhere to professional ethics leads to the challenges reducing care quality (2) .

Social stigma and discrimination due to fear and misinformation can promote significant violations of these basic rights (2, 5 

Ethical challenges in researches are among the most important issues during the COVID-19

pandemic. As of November 8, more than 10 

In Patient's independence is referred to patient's ability to make informed or rational decisions, requiring adequate information from medical and healthcare team (2, 5, 9) 

Quarantine, as a mandatory isolation, restricts physical contact of a person exposed to an infectious disease to prevent its spread. Since quarantine restricts freedom, patient's rights and independence may be endangered.

Although 

The 

Authors declare no conflict of interests. 

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