Swiss doctors urge the most vulnerable COVID-19 patients to register their death wishes in advance

Swiss doctors have urged people at risk of developing complications from Covid-19 disease to register their dying wishes in advance, to help ease the pressure on intensive care units, which has sparked criticism from a group that defends the rights of the elderly.

Elderly Rights Advocacy Group Pro Synctote said the request from these doctors is premature and overdue, but doctors insist that such patient decisions are necessary in the painful reality of caring for critically ill patients during this pandemic.

At a time when healthcare systems face high rates of infection, healthcare professionals working with limited resources and places in intensive care units can sometimes face painful dilemmas and ethical questions about treating patients with Covid-19 have led to a government overhaul in Britain and a legal battle in Germany. .

The Swiss Society of Intensive Care Medicine has warned of a decrease in the number of intensive care beds in Switzerland and last week called for “particularly at risk”, including people over the age of 60, or those with diseases such as heart and diabetes, to record their wishes on paper if this occurs. the worst.

“This will support not only your relatives, but also the workers of the intensive care units, as they make decisions so that the treatment can be started in the best possible way according to the individual wishes of the patient,” he said in a statement.

Pro Synctote Schwiz said that the Swiss Society of Intensive Care’s appeal, while it sounds like reasonable advice in normal times, leaves the impression of inappropriate haste for a decision that requires in-depth study.

“The appeal of the Swiss Society of Intensive Medicine comes in the context of an absolute emergency in which Switzerland has not yet found itself,” he added.

Thierry Fumo, president of the Swiss Society of Intensive Medicine, said the association does not aim to put pressure on anyone or provide a family, but rather to encourage them to think ahead.

“This is even more important at a time when people at risk are more vulnerable to infections and have a high risk of entering the intensive care unit and at risk of death,” Fumo added.