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Health equality, social justice and the poverty of autonomy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2017

Christopher Newdick
Christopher Newdick*
Affiliation:
School of Law, University of Reading, Reading, UK
*
*Correspondence to: C. Newdick, School of Law, University of Reading, Whiteknights Road, Earley, Reading, RG6 7BY. Email: c.newdick@rdg.ac.uk
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Abstract

How does the concept of autonomy assist public responses to ‘lifestyle’ diseases? Autonomy is fundamental to bioethics, but its emphasis on self-determination and individuality hardly supports public health policies to eat and drink less and take more exercise. Autonomy rejects a ‘nanny’ state. Yet, the cost of non-communicable diseases is increasing to individuals personally and to public health systems generally. Health care systems are under mounting and unsustainable pressure. What is the proper responsibility of individuals, governments and corporate interests working within a global trading environment? When public health care resources are unlikely to increase, we cannot afford to be so diffident to the cost of avoidable diseases.

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Articles
Information
Health Economics, Policy and Law , Volume 12 , Special Issue 4: SPECIAL ISSUE: Healthcare and Health Innovation in Europe: Regulating for public benefit or for commercial profit? , October 2017 , pp. 411 - 433
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© Cambridge University Press 2017 

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