The Ethics of Screening and Treating Persons with Hepatitis C: A Canadian Perspective

Authors

  • Ramseyer Apau Bediako Centre for Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7202/1068763ar

Keywords:

public funding, hepatitis C, screening program, vulnerable populations, resource allocation, eradication

Language(s):

English

Abstract

In this article, I argue that the Canadian government’s position against screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and publicly funding HCV treatment is ethically unjustifiable. Cost of medication and likelihood of widening existing health inequality are the government’s argument for not funding HCV treatment and for also not having a screening program. I object to this position and argue in favour of a screening program and public funding of HCV treatment. I argue that these barriers are ethically unjust. Conclusively, being denied screening and early treatment is to be denied the best possible outcome.

Open issue, (c) Emanuelle Dufour

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Published

2020-07-20

How to Cite

[1]
Apau Bediako R. The Ethics of Screening and Treating Persons with Hepatitis C: A Canadian Perspective. Can. J. Bioeth 2020;3:52-7. https://doi.org/10.7202/1068763ar.

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2020): Open Issue

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2020 Ramseyer Apau Bediako

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The Canadian Journal of Bioethics applies the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License to all its publications. Authors therefore retain copyright of their publication, e.g., they can reuse their publication, link to it on their home page or institutional website, deposit a PDF in a public repository. However, the authors allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy their publication, so long as the original authors and source are cited.