Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the ethical issues to be considered by military medical leaders concerning the three inter-related topics of triage, medical rules of eligibility, and entitlement to care. The interpretation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the application of medical ethics during mission medical planning is explained, alongside the processes of ‘definition of population at risk’, ‘casualty estimation’ and ‘medical resource allocation’. Based on a hypothetical scenario, the paper then considers the legal, ethical, and clinical principles that might determine ‘Medical Rules of Eligibility’. The paper proposes some answers to the scenario questions and concludes by discussing the importance of training and education in military medical ethics to ensure that military medical leaders do not inadvertently make unethical decisions.