Medicolegal aspects of intensive care in the era of COVID-19

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic, declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020, has severely tested healthcare systems across the globe, and Tunisia has been no exception. The rapid saturation of intensive care units, notably due to the massive influx of critically ill patients, exacerbated an already tense situation. This context has given rise to complex ethical and legal dilemmas for healthcare professionals. The aim of this study is to explore the medico-legal issues specific to resuscitation in the context of a COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A narrative review of the literature was carried out. The keywords ＂legal aspects＂, ＂COVID-19＂, ＂intensive care＂ and ＂resuscitation＂ were used to identify relevant sources. Results: Our review highlighted a multitude of medico-legal issues exacerbated by the pandemic, such as triage (including resource allocation and rationing of care), the ＂right to know＂ and the ＂right to be informed＂.