Setting Limits for the Principle of Equal Entitlement to Continued Life

Juan Moreno-Ternero and Lars Peter Østerdal

No 18-2024, Working Papers from Copenhagen Business School, Department of Economics

Abstract: The normative principle that every individual is equally entitled to continued life is a subject of debate in ethics, health economics and policy. We reconsider this principle in the context of setting priorities for healthcare interventions. When applied without restriction, the principle overlooks quality of life concerns entirely. However, we contend that it remains ethically relevant in certain situations, particularly when patients su↵er from conditions unrelated to the therapeutic areas and treatments under consideration. Thus, we defend the principle while also emphasizing the need for its application within tight limits.

Keywords: Equal entitlement to continued life; Population health; Morbidity; Mortality; QALYs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D63 D71 I14 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 17 pages
Date: 2024-11-14
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem
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