Justice for children in healthcare: an asymmetric theory of responsibility

Newey, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5043-3793 (2016) Justice for children in healthcare: an asymmetric theory of responsibility. Dilemata: International Journal of Applied Ethics, 21. pp. 1-21. ISSN 1989-7022

Abstract/Summary

Healthcare providers face enormous pressure to save healthcare resources where possible. In this paper I explore the response that we should allocate resources fairly. What is a fair allocation of healthcare resources for children? First, I consider the luck egalitarianism approach of limiting resources to adult patients who are responsible for their conditions. A luck egalitarian distribution of healthcare resources to adults faces significant problems in application. I maintain that when we consider these problems with a focus on the just distribution of healthcare resources to children, we gain valuable insights into the fairness of healthcare allocation for adults.