The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new set of ethical dilemmas for physicians this year, according to Medscape's 2020 Physician Ethics Report published Dec. 11.
Medscape surveyed 5,130 physicians in 29 specialties nationwide between July 25 and Sept. 10.
Five survey findings:
1. Sixty-eight percent of physicians said they would not see a patient who refused to wear a mask or social distance in their practice.
2. Half of respondents said patients who engage in unhealthy behaviors like smoking should have higher health insurance premiums.
3. About 54 percent of physicians said they'd break patient confidentiality if the individual's health status could harm others.
4. Twenty-six percent of physicians said it's OK to date a patient if it's been six months since they've last treated him or her.
5. Twenty-two percent said they would not treat a family if parents refused standard vaccines for themselves or their children.
For more survey findings, click here.