Medical Ethics, Prediction, and Prognosis: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

Recent scientific developments, particularly advances in pharmacogenetics and molecular genetics, have resulted in numerous predictive procedures for detecting disease predisposition in patients. The aim of this volume is to explore issues related to prediction and prognosis as an emerging field of medicine that is revolutionising the way we understand and approach diagnosis and treatment. Combining epistemic and ethical reflection with medical expertise on contemporary practice and research, an interdisciplinary group of international experts takes a critical look at anticipatory medicine from a variety of perspectives, including the history of medicine, bioethics, science theory and health economics. The highly complex issues of medical foresight call for a far-reaching debate on the value and scope of prior knowledge. For example, what obligations and burdens arise when still healthy people find out about their predisposition to disease? How should health insurance reflect risky lifestyles? Is the progressive medicalisation of life linked to prevention ethically sustainable and financially feasible in developing countries? These and other related questions are the subject of this timely and important book, which not only provides an introduction to the field but also proposes a number of feasible ones.