Tragic choices in the time of pandemics

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Italian Society of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI), noting a massive imbalance between the availability of intensive resources and the real clinical needs of the population, introduced the Clinical Ethics Recommendations for hospitalization in intensive care and their suspension, in exceptional conditions of imbalance between needs and available resources, which have been strongly criticized on several fronts. In particular, these recommendations were followed by a note by Dr. Anelli, President of the Italian National Federation of Surgeons and Dentists (FNOMCeO), as well as observations by the Rosario Livatino Study Centre (RLSC), in collaboration with the Italian Catholic Medical Association (AMCI). The essay presents and comments on the Recommendations and their criticisms.