Ethical dilemmas in prioritizing patients for scarce radiotherapy resources.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Radiotherapy is an essential component of cancer treatment, yet many countries do not have adequate capacity to serve all patients who would benefit from it. Allocation systems are needed to guide patient prioritization for radiotherapy in resource-limited contexts. These systems should be informed by allocation principles deemed relevant to stakeholders. This study explores the ethical dilemmas and views of decision-makers engaged in real-world prioritization of scarce radiotherapy resources at a cancer center in Rwanda in order to identify relevant principles.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 22 oncology clinicians, program leaders, and clinical advisors. Interviews explored the factors considered by decision-makers wh

SUBMITTER: DeBoer RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10829165 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature