The philosophy of need and the normative foundations of health policy

Abstract The concept of need plays an essential role in defining legitimate health inequalities. The debate on equity in healthcare policy has so far evolved independently of the philosophical discussions of need. This article draws on moral and political philosophy in order to develop a conception of need that goes beyond the current dichotomy between universal … Continue reading The philosophy of need and the normative foundations of health policy

Equity in Terms of Healthcare: What Is the Opinion of the Public? A Review of Empirical Ethics in the Field of Healthcare

Abstract Health care priority setting decisions should be informed by the preferences of the general public on whose behalf these decisions are made. The growing literature devoted to investigate people’s preferences on the principles that should govern health care rationing is reviewed. We first sketch out the ethical principles that have been proposed to prioritise … Continue reading Equity in Terms of Healthcare: What Is the Opinion of the Public? A Review of Empirical Ethics in the Field of Healthcare