Hard choices during complex times require wisdom

Abstract The increasing number of seriously ill individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to consider which aspects would guide access to mechanical ventilation. Priority criteria for intensive care unit admission had to be established and the bioethical basis upholding triage models analyzed. Amidst doubts and distress brought on by the pandemic, Bioethics became a guiding compass for physicians and public policies aiming for social good. In this regard, bioethics should be a concrete instrument for resolving complex problems that involve life and all its dimensions.