Abstract
I examine the positive and negative features of homeopathy from an ethical perspective. I consider: (a) several potentially beneficial features of homeopathy, including non-invasiveness, cost-effectiveness, holism, placebo benefits and agent autonomy; and (b) several potentially negative features of homeopathy, including failure to seek effective healthcare, wastage of resources, promulgation of false beliefs and a weakening of commitment to scientific medicine. A utilitarian analysis of the utilities and disutilities leads to the conclusion that homeopathy is ethically unacceptable and ought to be actively rejected by healthcare professionals.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 398–409 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Bioethics |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2012 |
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Smith, K. R. (2012). Against homeopathy - a utilitarian perspective. Bioethics, 26(8), 398–409. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8519.2010.01876.x