Professor of medicine and public health at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora.
AMA J Ethics. 2021 Jan 1;23(1):E6-11. doi: 10.1001/amajethics.2021.6.
This case and commentary explore health professionals' duties to advocate for individual patients, protect their communities, and navigate conflicts between them. The perils of physicians intentionally harming individuals in misguided attempts to strengthen a community have been illuminated by the Holocaust. It is too simplistic to say, however, that public health can never outweigh individual preferences or even needs. The commentary herein articulates criteria that might justify physicians taking action to protect the public that is contrary to their individual patients' interests.
本病例及评论探讨了医疗专业人员为个体患者辩护、保护其社区以及应对两者冲突的职责。大屠杀揭示了医生出于错误的社区强化意图故意伤害个体的危害。然而，简单地说公共卫生绝不能凌驾于个人偏好甚至需求之上是过于简单化的。本文评论阐述了一些标准，这些标准可能证明医生采取行动保护公众利益而违背其个体患者利益是合理的。
