Abstract

Health justice concerns the justified use of publicly funded resources in medicine, health care, and public health. Theories of Health Justice explores the philosophical implications of the assumption that we should use such resources for the purposes of achieving health. Providing an introduction to the debate about health justice, the book offers clear conceptual definitions of health and disease, as well as an analysis of the different relevant theories of justice.

The author goes on to argue that a sufficientarian account of justice (the idea that we should aim to make sure that each citizen has enough) is most fitting for the purposes of health justice. He defends this specific theory of health justice in relation to health care and public health, before expanding the argument to engage with issues in global justice.

This text is ideal for students interested in the philosophy of medicine, medical ethics and philosophy and public policy.
An important and provocative book, which asks challenging questions that will be of interest to established scholars of the complex issues in health justice, while providing a compelling and accessible introduction for those new to this vital, and timely, area of enquiry. Schramme’s book will be of great use to students and researchers alike.
Peter West-Oram, Lecturer in Bioethics, Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Thomas Schramme is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Liverpool. He has published widely in philosophy of medicine, including the Handbook of the Philosophy of Medicine (co-edited with Steven Edwards; 2017), New Perspectives on Paternalism and Health Care (2015) and Being Amoral: Psychopathy and Moral Incapacity (2014).