Publichealthhasneverbeenmoreimportant,ormorecontroversial.Whatstatesdo,andfailtodo,makesasignificantdifferencetothelivesweareabletolead.Puttingpublichealthfirstwouldallowimprovementstothehealthofeveryone,especiallytheworstoff.Yetmanycitizensactivelyopposestateinterferencetoimprovepopulationhealth,complainingthatitencroachesonpersonalliberty.Howshouldpolicymakersreconciletheseconflictingpriorities?Thisgroundbreakingbookarguesthatphilosophyisnotjustuseful,butvital,forthinkingcoherentlyaboutprioritiesinhealthpolicyandpublicpolicy.Novel,theoreticallyrigorous,yetpractical,PhilosophyforPublicHealthandPublicPolicyexamineswhyitissocommonforpublicpoliciestofailinpracticetoimprovetheproblemstheyaimtosolve,andwhattodoaboutthis.Itarguesthatashifttocomplexsystemsapproachestopolicymakingisoverdue.Philosophersneedtobecomemuchmoreattunedtothecontingencyandmessinessofrealworldpolicymaking,andtothewaysinwhichphilosophicaltoolssuchasthoughtexperimentsarefrequentlyunreliable.Thisbookalsoprovidesanethicalframeworkforpublichealthpolicy.Itarguesthatpublichealthisarightofcitizens,alongsidemorefamiliarrightssuchaslibertyandsecurity.Publichealthshouldnotbethoughtofmerelyasinterferencewiththerightsthatindividualshave,butasnecessarytoprotecttheserights.Chaptersexploreimplicationsforresourceallocation,personalresponsibility,healthequity,andthecontrolofcommunicabledisease.
