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Ethical analysis to improve decision-making on health technologies.
- Source :
-
Bulletin of the World Health Organization [Bull World Health Organ] 2008 Aug; Vol. 86 (8), pp. 617-23. - Publication Year :
- 2008
-
Abstract
- Health technology assessment (HTA) is the multidisciplinary study of the implications of the development, diffusion and use of health technologies. It supports health-policy decisions by providing a joint knowledge base for decision-makers. To increase its policy relevance, HTA tries to extend beyond effectiveness and costs to also considering the social, organizational and ethical implications of technologies. However, a commonly accepted method for analysing the ethical aspects of health technologies is lacking. This paper describes a model for ethical analysis of health technology that is easy and flexible to use in different organizational settings and cultures. The model is part of the EUnetHTA project, which focuses on the transferability of HTAs between countries. The EUnetHTA ethics model is based on the insight that the whole HTA process is value laden. It is not sufficient to only analyse the ethical consequences of a technology, but also the ethical issues of the whole HTA process must be considered. Selection of assessment topics, methods and outcomes is essentially a value-laden decision. Health technologies may challenge moral or cultural values and beliefs, and their implementation may also have significant impact on people other than the patient. These are essential considerations for health policy. The ethics model is structured around key ethical questions rather than philosophical theories, to be applicable to different cultures and usable by non-philosophers. Integrating ethical considerations into HTA can improve the relevance of technology assessments for health care and health policy in both developed and developing countries.
- Subjects :
- Attitude to Health
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Culture
Diffusion of Innovation
Ethical Analysis
Humans
Interdisciplinary Communication
Morals
Pilot Projects
Program Evaluation
Social Responsibility
Social Values ethnology
Technology Assessment, Biomedical organization & administration
Decision Making, Organizational
Health Policy
Internationality
Models, Organizational
Technology Assessment, Biomedical ethics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1564-0604
- Volume :
- 86
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Bulletin of the World Health Organization
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 18797620
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2471/blt.08.051078