An oncologist treats a cancer patient with large doses of radiation throughout the body. This will all but guarantee the cancer is eliminated, but will also do extensive damage.

A nurse practitioner prescribes the smallest effective dose of a treatment, so as to minimize the risk of side effects, but a follow-up treatment may later be necessary.

An attending physician orders his medical team to perform chest compressions on a COVID-19 patient in cardiac arrest, exposing the team to greater infection risk, even though it is unlikely to save the patient.

A doctor prescribes a drug that she gains from financially. It is effective, but not the most effective treatment available.

A hospital administrator decides to spend her remaining budget on ten new hospital beds instead of a new diagnostic machine because the beds will benefit more people.

A clinician only tells their patient about the most effective treatment, leaving out others that have fewer side effects, including the option of not being treated at all.

A surgeon performs a liver transplant on a patient who has the greatest medical need and is a good match with the donor, even though other patients on the wait list can pay more for the procedure.

A physician appears on a TV news show to discuss a public health issue. He focuses on a simple measure most people can take to prevent the issue, instead of the more effective, though costly and time consuming, steps that only a few people can follow.