Bartlett, Oliver and Capewell, Simon (2020) Different ethical standards for different ethical problems? A commentary on ‘Responsibility, Prudence and Health Promotion’. Journal of Public Health, 43 (3). e489-e490. ISSN 1741-3842

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Abstract

This short note offers a few comments on the interesting paper ‘Responsibility, Prudence and Health Promotion’ by Brown, Maslen and Savulescu. We agree that the development of NCDs is powerfully influenced by social and environmental forces beyond an individual’s direct control. Thus, undue emphasis on individuals ‘taking responsibility’ for making healthy choices is unethical, sometimes stigmatizing and always unscientific. It ignores the complexity of NCD causation and promotes ineffective and inequitable NCD prevention strategies. An emphasis on ‘personal responsibility’ is also a well-recognized distraction tactic used by supporters of harmful commodity industries such as tobacco, alcohol and junk food.1 Conversely, effective and successful strategies such as tobacco control comprehensively address the ‘3As’ of affordability, acceptability and availability.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Healthy choices; ethical behaviour; individual responsibility;
Academic Unit:	Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute Faculty of Social Sciences > Law
Item ID:	18408
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa006
Depositing User:	Oliver Bartlett
Date Deposited:	18 Apr 2024 14:32
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Public Health
Publisher:	Oxford Academic
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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