Ethics of Healthcare Policy and the Concept of Solidarity

Abstract

Developing good healthcare policy is a challenge at the best of times. In most developed societies, healthcare is organized within structurally complex sys- tems that are politically charged. The mix of public and private funders and providers currently existing in most countries has advantages; for example, it can lead to the improvement of patient care and innovation in medical treat- ments. But, imperfect markets being what they are, this situation can also make transparent decision-making challenging, diminish effectiveness, and lead to perverse incentives. Due to factors such as ageing populations, and the trend towards personalization in medicine, both the demand and the costs of healthcare have been steadily rising in almost all healthcare systems worldwide. This moves the need for priority setting and fair rationing of care high on the agenda in most countries.