It's not like this is Hitlerian, or anything. I have a fundamental problem with government studies, as such, because they're not a legitimate government function. But if such studies are going to be done, then I have no inherent problem with these. The only objection I can think of is that some patients will receive the lesser of the treatments to be studied--but then again, that's what the studies will identify.

The fact that they're done "without the patient' permission" is not terribly relevant, because the only other option is that the patient simply be allowed to die. And ultimately, particularly in trauma cases, doctors and nurses perform all sorts of treatments without our consent, by necessity--even were we fully conscious, we'd not often have a great deal to contribute to such decisions, and certainly not within the required timeframe.

Update: I forgot to mention. This post was prompted by a misleading Digg headline, which should come as no surprise.