April 30, 2012: Drug Shortages and Framework for Resource Allocation
An ethical framework intended to provide high-level guidance for ethical decision-making and deliberation within and across health sectors and health institutions, as well as among healthcare professionals, in response to the current drug shortage was recently released by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Development of the framework was a collaborative effort involving multiple experts and stakeholders, including the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. The framework is intended to guide (i) the redistribution of drug supplies across the province on the basis of need and (ii) service modification in the event of drug shortages affecting service delivery.The full document, entitled Ethical Framework for Resource Allocation During the Drug Supply Shortage, is available from http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/drugs/supply/docs/ethical_framework.pdf
