Ethical problems in burn injury in the past decade.

As a result of the increasing numbers of disasters and constant advances in medical care technology allowing survival of critically ill patients by using an interdisciplinary approach to comprehensive therapy, the past decade has seen the emergence of ethical problems related to burn injury. The study discusses the issue of sorting out patients from the point of view of providing emergency care and transport as well as from the point of view of psychologic care and palliative therapy. The quality of life and prolonged suffering of elderly individuals is another major issue as well as, last but not least, ethical and moral obstacles encountered in clinical research carried out in the critically ill where the potential of misuse is greater than in other groups of patients. The role played by ethical committees and by integrity of the research project coordinator are highlighted.