Allocating fertility services by medical need.
Infertility services often receive little or no public funding because they are perceived not to meet a medical need. This article argues that it is plausible to think of fertility treatment as a medical need. Medical needs deserve serious consideration in resource allocation. Such needs arise when there is a disruption of normal species function (disease), which results in a limitation of fair equality of opportunity. Fair equality of opportunity is important because it is required for a person's ability to live a good life. Infertility can result in a medical need because it can be a disruption of normal species function and can result in diminished opportunity, which it is highly relevant to the conception of a good life of many people. Infertility services deserve serious consideration in resource allocation.
McMillan
J
J
University College, Oxford OX1 4BH, UK.
D005260:Female; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D006113:United Kingdom