The ethics of screening: is 'screeningitis' an incurable disease?

Journal of Medical Ethics 20 (1):12-18 (1994)
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Abstract

Screening programmes are becoming increasingly popular since prevention is considered 'better than cure'. While earlier diagnosis may result in more effective treatment for some, there will be consequent harm for others due to anxiety, stigma, side-effects etc. A screening test cannot guarantee the detection of all 'abnormal' cases, therefore there will be false reassurance for some. A proper consideration of the potential benefit and harm arising from screening may lead to the conclusion that the programme should not be offered. A modified utilitarian approach may be used for allocation of scarce resources in health care. Ethics has an important role in this evaluation

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Ruth Chadwick
Cardiff University

Citations of this work

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A Sociological Perspective on Genetic Screening.Mairi Levitt - 1997 - Human Reproduction and Genetic Ethics 3 (2):19-21.
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References found in this work

Practical Ethics.John Martin Fischer - 1983 - Philosophical Review 92 (2):264.
Ethics.William Frankena - 1967 - Philosophy of Science 34 (1):74-74.
Why is preventive medicine exempted from ethical constraints?P. Skrabanek - 1990 - Journal of Medical Ethics 16 (4):187-190.
Response to: What counts as success in genetic counselling?Angus Clarke - 1993 - Journal of Medical Ethics 19 (1):47-49.

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