title: Against homeopathy--a utilitarian perspective.
abstract: I examine the positive and negative features of homeopathy from an ethical perspective. I consider: (a) several potentially beneficial features of homeopathy, including non-invasiveness, cost-effectiveness, holism, placebo benefits and agent autonomy; and (b) several potentially negative features of homeopathy, including failure to seek effective healthcare, wastage of resources, promulgation of false beliefs and a weakening of commitment to scientific medicine. A utilitarian analysis of the utilities and disutilities leads to the conclusion that homeopathy is ethically unacceptable and ought to be actively rejected by healthcare professionals.
authors.affiliation: Abertay University - Contemporary Sciences, Baxter Building, Dundee, Tayside DD1 1HG, UK. k.smith@abertay.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D028663:Ethical Theory; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000941:ethics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D015990:Placebo Effect