Needs, rights, and preferences in pharmaceutical ethics. (360G-Wellcome-081498_Z_06_Z)

The proposed research aims to provide a conceptual analysis of the claims of needs versus those of rights and preferences as a way of tackling the pharmaceuticals ethical complexity. In doing so, it will relate the question of what makes drugs different from other valuable commodities to a broader one, i.e.: What makes healthcare a sui generis social good? Subsequently, the project will engage with issues in healthcare ethics, global ethics and political philosophy, e.g. equitable access to hea lthcare at national and global levels. An additional goal of the research is to broaden the theoretical framework for assessing regulation and policy alternatives concerning pharmaceuticals and to inform the public debate about these. The research will apply the methods of analytic philosophy in the following three stages: 1) background research; 2) statement of preliminary findings and initial feedback; 3) writing up and communication of the final results. These will be disseminated in formats, tailored to the target audiences (academics, regulators, and interested parties): 1) articles in peer-reviewed journals; 2) a monograph; 3) conference papers and a concise report downloadable from the website of Cambridge University, Faculty of Philosophy.