Background: : In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of health care providers is essential to maintain the functioning of the health care system. Physicians accept a primary ethical duty to place the wellbeing and health of their patients above their own welfares. However, does the duty to patient well-being have any limit? Two ethical concerns are debated: public health’s ethical principles and medical ethics values. We aimed in this study to assess Lebanese physicians’ attitudes, practice and ethical considerations when treating their patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials: and methods : It’s a cross-sectional study conducted in March 2020 among a random sample of Lebanese physicians, using a questionnaire based mainly on a five-point Likert numerical scale to make the answers more reliable and valid. The questionnaire focused on the medical practice during the pandemic and the ethical considerations in public health and in medical practice. It also evaluates the physicians’ point of view toward the management of the pandemic in Lebanon. Results: : A total of 318 physicians responded, with a mean age of 40 years. Five doctors of the total were affected by the COVID-19 infection (1.6%). 51.4% of medical specialists considered themselves to be at a higher risk of contracting the infection, while 52.3% of surgeons stated that they were at a lower risk. Doctors were neutral regarding treating patients according to any priority and discontinuing the ventilation of any patient with bad prognosis. The majority of doctors disagreed regarding the respect of the patient’s autonomy in refusing COVID-19 treatment with a mean score of 1.7/5. Finally, doctors expressed a neutral opinion regarding the ability of the country to manage such a pandemic with a mean score of 3.1/5. Conclusion: : Although physicians recognize that they are at high risk of contracting COVID-19, they assume their responsibilities and their duty to treat, and they were neutral against any prioritization in treatment approach. However, applying the four ethical principles (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice) may become challenging. Hence, more medical and ethical recommendations are required to guide physicians during this pandemic.
Lebanese Doctors Facing the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Practical and Ethical Issues