Public Health Ethics

Question 1

How can you define Public Health Ethics?

Answer 1

“the principles and values that help guide actions designed to promote health and prevent injury and disease in the population.”

Question 2

What is the focus of bioethics?

Answer 2

the doctor‐patient or researcher subject relationship

Question 3

Name the principles of bioethics

Answer 3

– Respect for persons
– Beneficence
– Non‐maleficence
– Justice

Question 4

Which of the principles of bioethics from the Belmont Report?

Answer 4

– Respect for persons
– Beneficence
– Justice

Question 5

What are some questions addressed by Public Health Ethics?

Answer 5

• How should public health agencies/policy makers allocate public resources to benefit the public health?
• When/how should public health regulation interfere with individual liberties?

Question 6

Name some values/theories regarding public health ethics

Answer 6

1. Communitarian
2. Utilitarian
3. Social Justice

Question 7

Explain Communitarianism

Answer 7

public health is founded on a sense of the social compact between all members of the community and between community and government

Question 8

Explain Utilitarianism

Answer 8

PH generally seeks the greatest benefit for the most people

Question 9

Explain Social Justice

Answer 9

PH prioritizes protecting and promoting the health of the most marginalized populations, often those who are not politically powerful

Question 10

What are 3 justifications for public health interventions limiting individual rights?

Answer 10

• Prevent risk to others – “harm principle”
• Protect incompetent persons – parens patriae power or “best interest”
• Prevent risk to self ‐ paternalism

Question 11

What are the 5 ethical criteria to evaluate
government regulation?

Answer 11

1. Is the risk significant?
2. Is the regulation effective?
3. Is the regulation cost‐effective?
4. Is the regulation the least restrictive alternative?
5. Is the regulation fair?

Question 12

Name two areas of public health policy

Answer 12

1. allocation of resources
2. regulation of individual’s actions

Question 13

What are two values that should guide implementation in both areas of public health policy?

Answer 13

1. Transparency
2. “Precautionary principle”

Question 14

Describe transparency

Answer 14

• open governance
• free flow of information
• civic participation
• public accountability

Question 15

Describe the “precautionary principle”

Answer 15

the duty to act, even in the face of uncertainty (an obligation to act, even when data are incomplete)

Question 16

What are some considerations in ethical reasoning in risk regulation?

Answer 16

• Role of ethics vs law?
• How should government decide which risks should be regulated?
• Structural / environmental emphasis vs. an individual autonomy emphasis
• What role of public opinion, considering this can be complicated with poor risk assessment?

Question 17

Name some public health goals related to public health ethics

Answer 17

• Protect individuals from disease
• Through “herd immunity” **protect **the population including those who cannot be immunized, are too young to be immunized, or for whom immunizations fail
• **Protect **those who cannot make the choice themselves
• **Protect **effective treatments by preventing pathogens from developing resistance
• Use “evolution” to shape how pathogens act in relation to hosts