A portion of the revenue from this book’s sales will be donated to Doctors Without Borders to assist in the fight against COVID-19.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on modern health-care systems and has given rise to a number of complex ethical issues. This collection of readings and case studies offers an overview of some of the most pressing of these issues, such as the allocation of ventilators and other scarce resources, the curtailing of standard privacy measures for the sake of public health, and the potential obligations of health-care professionals to continue operating in dangerous work environments.

Meredith Celene Schwartz's profile page

Meredith Celene Schwartz has taught health-care ethics and philosophy courses at Dalhousie University and Ryerson University. She is the author of Moral Respect, Objectification, and Health Care, co-author of Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia, and co-editor of Readings in Health Care Ethics, 3rd Edition.

“An excellent collection of informative and thought-provoking articles on pandemic ethics, with a focus on COVID-19. The reader is invited to reflect on the rights and wrongs of unprecedented actions taken (or contemplated) by governments, businesses, health-care providers, researchers, and citizens. These are brought into sharp focus in a series of cases studies that highlight obstacles and opportunities.” — Françoise Baylis, University Research Professor, Dalhousie University

“This collection is essential reading for everyone concerned about ethics during a pandemic. The essays are clear and accessible, and the editor provides helpful introductions and keyword glossaries for students. This volume is perfect for the classroom. Highly recommended.” — Kelly Oliver, W. Alton Jones Professor of Philosophy, Vanderbilt University

“Meredith Schwartz’s edited volume is a ‘must-have’ for anyone interested in the ethics of pandemics. This timely collection is perfect for university students and teachers, curating a set of powerful yet accessible articles organized around what have emerged to be the core ethical themes of pandemics. Schwartz has included insightful chapter introductions and reflection questions, ensuring that this text will remain relevant for decades to come.” — G.K.D. Crozier, Canada Research Chair and Professor, Laurentian University

“An ethical guide to navigating the difficult choices faced by health care professionals, politicians, economists, researchers, and ordinary citizens during the coronavirus pandemic. Pandemics provoke an astonishing array of ethical dilemmas, and the essays and case studies here are ideal for classroom discussions and dinner table debates.” — Rob Reich, Professor of Political Science, Stanford University

“The Ethics of Pandemics includes readings from a stellar international panel of experts. I am particularly impressed with the range of perspectives on social justice problems laid bare by the virus: our inadequate protection of the elderly, the exclusion of people with disabilities, and the significantly worse health consequences for the less privileged. You need to read and discuss this book.” — Laura Shanner, Applied Ethics Educator, Vancouver Island University