Principles of justice in health care rationing.
This paper compares and contrasts three different substantive (as opposed to procedural) principles of justice for making health care priority-setting or "rationing" decisions: need principles, maximising principles and egalitarian principles. The principles are compared by tracing out their implications for a hypothetical rationing decision involving four identified patients. This decision has been the subject of an empirical study of public opinion based on small-group discussions, which found that the public seem to support a pluralistic combination of all three kinds of rationing principle. In conclusion, it is suggested that there is room for further work by philosophers and others on the development of a coherent and pluralistic theory of health care rationing which accords with public opinions.
Cookson
R
R
University of East Anglia.
Dolan
P
P
D003657:Decision Making; D004989:Ethics; D017144:Focus Groups; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000592:standards*; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000592:standards*; D010684:Philosophy; D011639:Public Opinion; D012935:Social Justice