Imagining the unthinkable, illuminating the present

During a catastrophe that disables the health system, ethically charged situations will undoubtedly emerge that will challenge patients, relatives, clinicians, and others involved in health delivery. This second of two special sections of The Journal of Clinical Ethics includes discussions of the implications of a system collapse on particularly vulnerable member of society, children, pregnant women, and those who are socio-economically, culturally, and linguistically disempowered. Additionally, it offers insights into the processes used by committees to plan for catastrophic care.