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The Political and Ethical Challenge of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis

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Abstract

This article critically examines current responses to multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and argues that bioethics needs to be willing to engage in a more radical critique of the problem than is currently offered. In particular, we need to focus not simply on market-driven models of innovation and anti-microbial solutions to emergent and re-emergent infections such as TB. The global community also needs to address poverty and the structural factors that entrench inequalities—thus moving beyond the orthodox medical/public health frame of reference.

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Statement of Competing Interests and Funding

No competing interests to declare. This research was funded in part by the NHMRC CRE for TB Control [CRE1043225]. Funding agencies had no role in study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, or the writing of the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine, Sydney School of Public health, University of Sydney, Level 1, Medical Foundation Building, K25, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Chris Degeling, Christopher Mayes, Wendy Lipworth & Ian Kerridge

  2. Department of Family and Community Medicine and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada

    Ross Upshur

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  1. Chris Degeling
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  2. Christopher Mayes
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  3. Wendy Lipworth
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  4. Ian Kerridge
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Correspondence to Chris Degeling.

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Degeling, C., Mayes, C., Lipworth, W. et al. The Political and Ethical Challenge of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis. Bioethical Inquiry 12, 107–113 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-014-9595-3

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