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Biomedical subjects

J G Lennox

Publications and source records attributed to J G Lennox.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Health as an objective value.

Variants on two approaches to the concept of health have dominated the philosophy of medicine, here referred to as 'reductionist' and 'relativist'. These two approaches share the basic assumption that the concept of health cannot be both based on an empirical biological foundation and be evaluative, and thus adopt either the view that it is 'objective' or evaluative. It is here argued that there are a subset of value concepts that are formed in recognition of certain fundamental facts about living organisms, among which is the concept of health. These are not yet moral concepts, but they are 'normative' or 'evaluative'. The view is defended that health, so understood, is a fundamental concept in the process of medical diagnosis and treatment.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1980

[Randomized controlled clinical trials with barbiturate treatment after cardiac arrest in the United States. Ethical and medicolegal aspects (author's transl)].

Brain protection during ischemia by barbiturates has been clearly demonstrated in many different experiments. Only recently the therapeutic value of large doses of thiopental administered early after cerebral circulatory arrest has been demonstrated experimentally in monkey. Noncontrolled studies in humans also indicate beneficial effect, however the treatment is not without potential complication. Controlled randomized studies in humans are needed to document its beneficial effect. Such studies have several unique medico-legal and ethical implications since the treatment has to be started in an unconscious patient and as early as possible after a totally unexpected cardiac arrest. Informed consent, ethical and medicolegal consideration of randomized controlled clinical trials is discussed and a modified approach to clinical trials in humans is suggested. The modification would not alter the scientific value of the studies, but resolve the ethical and medico-legal problems.

Barbiturates↗