Ethical Considerations for the Cancellation of Non-Urgent Surgeriesduring the COVID-19 Pandemic and Suggestions for Future HealthCrises

In light of the national emergency the pandemic has spawned, hospitals across the United States made the decision to cancel non-urgent surgeries to free up resources and personnel and protect healthcare workers, patients, and the public from further spread. By one estimate, the initial wave of COVID-19 will lead to 28 million surgeries being postponed worldwide, with 343,670 projected cancellations each week in the USA alone over the course of a 12-week peak. This is an unprecedented disruption in the modern system of healthcare delivery that has the potential to produce long-lasting deleterious effects and troublesome ethical dilemmas.