Ethics in medical profiling and online medicine

1. Ethics in medical profiling and online medicine Professor Jonathan Wolff Professor of Philosophy, University College London

2. Ethical values • Safeguarding private information • Individuals being able to pursue their own interests in their own way • Efforts by the state to reduce harm • Using public resources efficiently and fairly Sharing risks, protecting the vulnerable: social solidarity

3. ‘Softening’ ethical dilemmas • The ethical values often conflict • No one value trumps the others Our approach: • Establish benefits and harms in each case • Attempt to ‘soften’ conflicts between ethical values by respecting each as much as possible • Recommend interventions that are evidence-based, proportionate and feasible

4. Examples of pros and cons Potential disadvantages Misleading information Misinterpretation Wasted money Unnecessary anxiety Breaches of information privacy Damage to patient-doctor relationship Potential advantages • Convenience • Empowerment • Early intervention • Control • Act in private • Price competition