Disability Justice in Public Health Emergencies is the first book to highlight contributions from critical disability scholarship to the fields of public health ethics and disaster ethics. It takes up such contributions with the aim of charting a path forward for clinicians, bioethicists, public health experts, and anyone involved in emergency planning to better care for disabled people—and thereby for all people—in the future. Across 11 chapters, the contributors detail how existing public health emergency (...) responses have failed and still fail to address the multi-faceted needs of disabled people. They analyze complications in the context of epidemic and pandemic disease and emphasize that vulnerabilities imposed upon disabled people track and foster patterns of racial and class domination. -/- The central claim of the volume is that the ethical and political insights of disability theory and activism provide key resources for equitable disaster planning for all. The volume builds upon the existing efforts of disability communities to articulate emergency planning priorities and response measures that take into account the large body of qualitative and quantitative research on disabled people’s health, needs, and experiences. It is only by listening to disabled people’s voices that we will all fare better in future public health emergencies. (shrink)

This study investigated the relationships among undergraduate students’ awareness, perception, and preparedness to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools for decision- making during health emergencies in two Nigerian public universities (N = 4,632). A cross-sectional correlational design was adopted for the study. Data were collected using an online questionnaire with valid and reliable psychometric properties (α ≥ 0.90). One-sample t-tests revealed that undergraduates reported high levels of awareness (t = 55.97, < 0.001) and perception (t = 86.92, p < 0.001) (...) regarding AI use.p Although their preparedness to use AI for decision-making during health emergencies was statistically significant (t = − 34.08, p < 0.001), the mean score was comparatively lower than the baseline value of 2.50, indicating a significantly low level of preparedness. Simple linear regression analyses revealed that AI awareness significantly predicted perception and preparedness. Perception also significantly predicted preparedness. Both awareness and perception jointly accounted for 9.6% of the variance in preparedness (F(2, 4629) = 247.08, p < 0.001). Relatively, awareness remained a significant predictor of preparedness (β = 0.304, p < 0.001) even after controlling for perception. In contrast, perception became insignificant in predicting readiness when awareness was controlled for. Random forest regression (RFR) was used to test predictive accuracy and assess non-linear patterns. The results showed that awareness and perception explained 26% (training set) and 25% (test set) of the variance in undergraduates’ readiness. RFR results solidified the importance of AI awareness as the top predictor (100% predictive importance) over perception (78% predictive importance). These findings suggest that foundationalknowledge is associated with increasing readiness to adopt AI during health emergencies. Therefore, educational interventions should focus on enhancing AI awareness to improve students’ preparedness higher institutions of learning. Keywords. (shrink)

My thesis in this paper is that liberals should adopt a very strong presumption in favor of the rule of law during a public health emergency and should only turn to rule by experts under very narrow, and extremely rare, conditions. In addition to defending this thesis, this paper offers a general framework for when liberals should permit violations of the rule of law in favor of rule of experts during public health emergencies. -/- The paper proceeds (...) as follows. In section I, I define some thorny theoretical issues about the rule of law that will clarify what, precisely, I mean by rule of law and rule of experts in public health. In section II, I advance several arguments in favor of the rule of law in public health. These arguments will be the following: (1) the democracy argument, (2) the autonomy argument, (3) the respect for rational planning argument, and (4) the precedent argument. These arguments are intended to establish the claim that liberals should endorse a very strong presumption in favor of not violating the rule of law during a public health emergency. In section III, I ask when this very strong presumption in favor of the rule of law may be overridden in favor of rule by experts. I outline a narrow set of conditions that must obtain for this to be the case. My own view is that these conditions very rarely, if ever, obtain in the real world. But, if the reader disagrees with me on this point, the general framework is still useful. (shrink)

In response to commentators, we argue that whether waiving patent rights will meaningfully improve access to COVID-19 vaccines for low income and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in the short term, is an empirical matter. We also reject preferentially allocating vaccines to countries that hosted trials because doing so unethically favours those with research infrastructure, rather than those facing the worst burdens from COVID-19.

In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers in some countries were forced to make distressing triaging decisions about which individual patients should receive potentially life-saving treatment. Much of the ethical discussion prompted by the pandemic has concerned which moral principles should ground our response to these individual triage questions. In this paper we aim to broaden the scope of this discussion by considering the ethics of broader structural allocation decisions raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, we (...) consider how nations ought to distribute a scarce life-saving resource across healthcare regions in a public health emergency, particularly in view of regional differences in projected need and existing capacity. We call this the regional triage question. Using the case study of ventilators in the COVID-19 pandemic, we show how the moral frameworks that we might adopt in response to individual triage decisions do not translate straightforwardly to this regional-level triage question. Having outlined what we take to be a plausible egalitarian approach to the regional triage question, we go on to propose a novel way of operationalising the ‘save the most lives’ principle in this context. We claim that the latter principle ought to take some precedence in the regional triage question, but also note important limitations to the extent of the influence that it should have in regional allocation decisions. (shrink)

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) over what would quickly become known as SARS-CoV- 2 or COVID- 19. This emergency status was officially ended in the United States in May 2023 amidst much dissent and debate. Although emergency conditions resulting from COVID- 19 will likely wax and wane over the coming years, there is good reason to think that the incidence of severe global pandemics (...) will increase over the next century, as will declarations of emergency. The declaration of an emergency calls for urgent action, but it just as urgently demands careful reflection. Official “emergency” status licenses unparalleled executive intervention, completely reorganizing the lives of those who live under its decree. Such official recognition, however, is heavily dependent on the social context in and from which the emergency arises. Highlighting which circumstances rise to the level of an official emergency clarifies our reigning assumptions about what threshold of active harm—and in relation to which groups of people—demands immediate intervention. (shrink)

In times of crises, public health leaders may claim that trials of public health interventions are unethical. One reason for this claim can be that equipoise—i.e. a situation of uncertainty and/or disagreement among experts about the evidence regarding an intervention—has been disturbed by a change of collective expert views. Some might claim that equipoise is disturbed if the majority of experts believe that emergency public health interventions are likely to be more beneficial than harmful. However, such (...) beliefs are not always justified: where high quality research has not been conducted, there is often considerable residual uncertainty about whether interventions offer net benefits. In this essay we argue that high-quality research, namely by means of well-designed randomized trials, is ethically obligatory before, during, and after implementing policies in public health emergencies (PHEs). We contend that this standard applies to both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions, and we elaborate an account of equipoise that captures key features of debates in the recent pandemic. We build our case by analyzing research strategies employed during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding drugs, vaccines, and non-pharmaceutical interventions; and by providing responses to possible objections. Finally, we propose a public health policy reform: whenever a policy implemented during a PHE is not grounded in high-quality evidence that expected benefits outweigh harms, there should be a planned approach to generate high-quality evidence, with review of emerging data at preset time points. These preset timepoints guarantee that policymakers pause to review emerging evidence and consider ceasing ineffective or even harmful policies, thereby improving transparency and accountability, as well as permitting the redirection of resources to more effective or beneficial interventions. (shrink)

COVID-19 demonstrated a global catastrophe that touched everybody, including the scientific community. As we respond and recover rapidly from this pandemic, there is an opportunity to guarantee that the fabric of our society includes sustainability, fairness, and care. However, approaches to environmental health attempt to decrease the population burden of COVID-19, toward saving patients from becoming ill along with preserving the allocation of clinical resources and public safety standards. This paper explores environmental and public health evidence-based practices toward (...) responding to Covid-19. A literature review tried to do a deep dive through the use of various search engines such as Mendeley, Research Gate, CAB Abstract, Google Scholar, Summon, PubMed, Scopus, Hinari, Dimension, OARE Abstract, SSRN, Academia search strategy toward reretrieving research publications, “grey literature” as well as reports from expert working groups. To achieve enhanced population health, it is recommended to adopt widespread evidence-based strategies, particularly in this uncertain time. As only together can evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) can become a reality which includes effective policies and practices, transparency and accountability of decisions, and equity outcomes; these are all more relevant in resource-constrained contexts, such as Nigeria. Effective and ethical EIDM though requires the production as well as use of high-quality evidence that are timely, appropriate and structured. One way to do so is through co-production. Co-production (or co-creation or co-design) of environmental/public health evidence considered as a key tool for addressing complex global crises such as the high risk of severe COVID-19 in different nations. A significant evidence-based component of environmental/public health (EBEPH) consist of decisions making based on best accessible, evidence that is peer-reviewed; using data as well as systematic information systems; community engagement in policy making; conducting sound evaluation; do thorough program-planning frameworks; as well as disseminating what is being learned. As researchers, scientists, statisticians, journal editors, practitioners, as well as decision-makers strive to improve population health, having a natural tendency toward scrutinizing the scientific literature aimed at novel research findings serving as the foundation for intervention as well as prevention programs. The main inspiration behind conducting research ought to be toward stimulating and collaborating appropriately on public/environmental health action. Hence, there is need for a “Plan B” of effective behavioural, environmental, social as well as systems interventions (BESSI) toward reducing transmission. (shrink)

All parties involved in researching, developing, manufacturing, and distributing COVID-19 vaccines need guidance on their ethical obligations. We focus on pharmaceutical companies' obligations because their capacities to research, develop, manufacture, and distribute vaccines make them uniquely placed for stemming the pandemic. We argue that an ethical approach to COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution should satisfy four uncontroversial principles: optimising vaccine production, including development, testing, and manufacturing; fair distribution; sustainability; and accountability. All parties' obligations should be coordinated and mutually consistent. For (...) instance, companies should not be obligated to provide host countries with additional booster shots at the expense of fulfilling bilateral contracts with countries in which there are surges. Finally, any satisfactory approach should include mechanisms for assurance that all parties are honouring their obligations. This assurance enables countries, pharmaceutical companies, global organisations, and others to verify compliance with the chosen approach and protect ethically compliant stakeholders from being unfairly exploited by unethical behaviour of others. (shrink)

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) plays an increasingly influential role in shaping health-related human rights in Europe, despite the absence of an explicit right to health in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This article examines how the Court adjudicates morally and legally contested health issues across six domains: physician-assisted dying, abortion, vaccination, place of birth, posthumous reproduction, and climate-related health risks. Drawing on comparative doctrinal analysis, the article identifies recurring patterns in (...) class='Hi'>health-related cases. These include an emphasis on procedural fairness, a tendency to frame harm in individualised terms, and deference to national scientific authorities. By tracing these patterns, the article clarifies how the Court navigates competing rights and interests in contested health cases. It also considers emerging challenges, such as litigation over artificial intelligence in healthcare, highlighting the ECtHR’s growing influence on the development of health law and policy through its interpretation of the ECHR. (shrink)

Recent claims that artificial intelligence (AI) systems demonstrate “emergent abilities” have fueled excitement but also fear grounded in the prospect that such systems may enable a wider range of parties to make unprecedented advances in areas that include the development of chemical or biological weapons. Ambiguity surrounding the term “emergent abilities” has added avoidable uncertainty to a topic that has the potential to destabilize the strategic landscape, including the perception of key parties about the viability of nonproliferation efforts. To avert (...) these problems in the future, scientists, developers, policymakers, and other parties should take credible steps to strengthen the health of the scientific ecosystem around AI. (shrink)

A large proportion of the total global burden of disease is caused by emergency medical conditions. Emergency care research is essential to improving emergency medicine but this research can raise some distinctive ethical challenges, especially with regard to (1) standard of care and risk–benefit assessment; (2) blurring of the roles of clinician and researcher; (3) enrolment of populations with intersecting vulnerabilities; (4) fair participant selection; (5) quality of consent; and (6) community engagement. Despite the importance of research (...) to improve emergency care in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and the widely acknowledged ethical challenges, very little has been written on the ethics of emergency care research in LMICs. This paper examines the ethical and regulatory challenges to conducting emergency care research with human participants in LMICs. We outline key challenges, present potential solutions or frameworks for addressing these challenges, and identify gaps. Despite the ethical and regulatory challenges, conducting high-quality, ethical emergency care research in LMICs is possible and it is essential for global health. (shrink)

This paper models humanity not as a chronological civilization or symbolic species, but as a distributed substrate governed by coherence dynamics. Traditional developmental paradigms rely on time, biology, or language as primary indicators of cognitive progression. I reject these in favor of five structural axioms: development is coherence-derived, not time-derived; units contribute variably to coherence; cognition begins with entropy descent; maturity corresponds to a curvature inflection in coherence; and identity is an attractor, not a symbol. Using this foundation, I analyze (...) humanity’s current state as a coherence trajectory system. Individuals are modeled as variable-yield signal units (μ(Cᵢ)), contributing to a collective coherence field C(t). System maturity is defined not by age but by sustained positive coherence acceleration (Δ²C > 0) across a bounded τ integration window. Entropy leakage (λ·C), coherence volatility (σ_C), and option-space breadth (Ω) become critical system health indicators. The emergence of recursive self-modeling, planetary-scale governance, and integrative institutional meta-systems suggest that humanity is entering its first global coherence curvature phase shift. Identity, under this model, becomes a stable attractor within Ω, not a narrative or symbolic artifact. This paper provides a framework for evaluating planetary cognition and system stability through purely structural means, independent of historical or cultural contingencies. (shrink)

This paper addresses global bioethical challenges entailed in emerging viral diseases, focussing on their socio-cultural dimension and seeing them as symptomatic of the current era of globalisation. Emerging viral threats exemplify the extent to which humans evolved into a global species, with a pervasive and irreversible impact on the planetary ecosystem. To effectively address these disruptive threats, an attitude of preparedness seems called for, not only on the viroscientific, but also on bioethical, regulatory and governance levels. This paper analyses the (...) global bioethical challenges of emerging viral threats from a dialectical materialist (Marxist) perspective, focussing on three collisions: (1) the collision of expanding networks of globalisation with local husbandry practices; (2) the collision of global networks of mobility with disrupted ecosystems; and (3) the collision of viroscience as a globalised research field with existing regulatory frameworks. These collisions emerge in a force field defined by the simultaneity of the non-simultaneous. Evidence-based health policies invoke discontent as they reflect the normative logic of a globalised knowledge regime. The development of a global bioethics or macro-ethics requires us to envision these collisions not primarily as issues of benefits and risks, but first and foremost as normative tensions closely entangled with broader socio-economic and socio-cultural developments. (shrink)

This paper argues that we have a moral obligation to implement certain health technologies even if we have limited or incomplete evidence of their effectiveness. The focus is on technologies used in non-emergency settings, as opposed to “exceptional cases” such as compassionate use and emergency approvals during public health emergencies. A broadly plausible moral principle – the Ecumenical Principle – is introduced and applied to a test case: the use of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis in mammographic screening. (...) The paper concludes by exploring the implications of the Ecumenical Principle for the adoption of other new health technologies. (shrink)

In the past few years, health and human rights scholars have stressed upon the need for rebuilding or reforming our health systems to make them both more resilient to health emergencies and less prone to nurturing inequalities. Discussions about health reform often centre on the ends of reform: the kind of health systems that should be built and the demands of justice that they should be able to satisfy once reformed. However, little has been said (...) about the demands of justice in or during health reforms. This chapter intends to start that discussion. Borrowing from the literature on transitional justice, we argue that an analogous problem of transitional justice exists in the context of health. We outline some of the key elements of transitional health justice, including some of its key demands, practices, and corresponding institutional framework. We conclude by highlighting an important relationship between transitional health justice and transitional justice. (shrink)

This paper addresses the likely impact on women of being denied emergency contraception (EC) by pharmacists who conscientiously refuse to provide it. A common view—defended by Elizabeth Fenton and Loren Lomasky, among others—is that these refusals inconvenience rather than harm women so long as the women can easily get EC somewhere else nearby. I argue from a feminist perspective that the refusals harm women even when they can easily get EC somewhere else nearby.

The concepts of health and disease are fundamental to medical research, healthcare, and public health, and philosophers have long sought to clarify their meaning and implications. Increasingly, it is suggested that progress in this area could be advanced by integrating empirical methods with philosophical reflection. This Element explores the emerging field of experimental philosophy of medicine (XPhiMed), which takes this approach by applying empirical methods to longstanding philosophical debates. It begins with an overview of the philosophical debates and (...) their methodological challenges, followed by an exploration of experimental findings on health, disease, and disorder, along with their implications for philosophy and other fields. (shrink)

Creativity and Intelligence: Emergent Properties of the Brain as a Balancing Mechanism for Overpopulation, Natural Disasters, and Diseases -/- The human brain is an extraordinary organ, capable of producing creativity and intelligence as emergent properties that allow humanity to address complex challenges. These traits are not merely tools for individual survival; they function as collective mechanisms to adapt to large-scale issues that threaten humanity’s balance with the environment. Overpopulation, natural disasters, and the prevalence of diseases and illnesses represent some of (...) the most significant pressures on human societies. Through the brain’s capacity for problem-solving and innovation, humanity has developed strategies to mitigate these challenges and maintain equilibrium within the universal law of balance. -/- The Brain as a Balancing Mechanism -/- At its essence, the brain operates as a dynamic system that processes external stimuli and generates adaptive responses. Creativity and intelligence arise from this system as tools to predict, analyze, and address challenges that disrupt balance. Overpopulation, natural disasters, and diseases disrupt human life on social, economic, and environmental levels, testing the brain’s ability to create solutions. -/- Creativity in Addressing Overpopulation -/- Overpopulation places immense strain on resources, ecosystems, and social structures, often leading to food shortages, environmental degradation, and urban overcrowding. The brain’s creative capacity has allowed humans to develop innovations to address these issues. Urban agriculture, such as vertical farming, is an example of how creativity has transformed food production in densely populated areas, reducing dependence on traditional farmland and conserving resources. Similarly, advancements in renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, reduce the ecological footprint of growing populations, providing sustainable solutions to energy needs. -/- Creativity also plays a critical role in social policies and education. Family planning programs and reproductive health education have empowered individuals, particularly women, to make informed decisions, reducing population growth rates in many regions. These initiatives reflect the brain’s ability to create holistic solutions that align societal needs with the preservation of natural balance. -/- Intelligence in Managing Natural Disasters -/- Natural disasters, unpredictable and often catastrophic, require intelligent strategies to mitigate their impact. Intelligence enables humans to analyze data, predict disasters, and prepare for their consequences. Early warning systems for tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes exemplify this, providing communities with critical time to evacuate and take protective measures. -/- Furthermore, intelligence drives the design of resilient infrastructure that can withstand disasters. For instance, earthquake-resistant buildings and flood mitigation systems demonstrate the brain’s capacity to transform scientific knowledge into practical solutions. These innovations save lives, reduce economic losses, and facilitate faster recovery after disasters, ensuring that human societies maintain their balance despite nature’s unpredictability. -/- Creativity and Intelligence in Combating Diseases and Illnesses -/- Diseases and illnesses have long been among humanity’s greatest challenges, especially in the context of overpopulation, which facilitates the rapid spread of infectious diseases. The brain’s emergent properties of creativity and intelligence have been critical in combating these threats through advancements in medicine, public health, and technology. -/- The development of vaccines, antibiotics, and antiviral drugs highlights humanity’s creative response to disease. For example, the eradication of smallpox and the near-elimination of polio are milestones achieved through creative and intelligent applications of medical science. During the COVID-19 pandemic, intelligence and creativity led to the rapid development of vaccines using mRNA technology, showcasing the brain’s ability to adapt to new challenges at an unprecedented pace. -/- Public health strategies, such as sanitation systems, clean water initiatives, and disease surveillance networks, also reflect the brain’s ability to create systemic solutions. These measures have significantly reduced the burden of communicable diseases, particularly in densely populated areas. Moreover, advancements in artificial intelligence and biotechnology continue to enhance humanity’s ability to detect, prevent, and treat illnesses. -/- The Interplay of Creativity, Intelligence, and Feedback Mechanisms -/- Creativity and intelligence act as feedback mechanisms that enable humans to respond to disruptions while maintaining balance within the universal law of nature. Overpopulation, natural disasters, and diseases disrupt this balance, prompting the brain to generate solutions that restore harmony. -/- For instance, urban planning that incorporates green spaces and sustainable infrastructure addresses the environmental strain caused by overpopulation. Similarly, the integration of traditional knowledge with modern technologies enhances disaster resilience. In the context of diseases, the collaboration of global institutions and local communities reflects the brain’s capacity to balance innovation with cultural and social considerations. -/- Challenges and Ethical Considerations -/- While creativity and intelligence empower humanity to address these challenges, they also carry significant ethical responsibilities. Technological advancements must align with principles of sustainability and equity. For example, while vaccines have saved millions of lives, unequal access to these innovations highlights the need for ethical distribution systems. Similarly, urban development projects must prioritize environmental conservation and community well-being to avoid exacerbating existing imbalances. -/- Additionally, the misuse of intelligence and creativity—such as the development of biological weapons or unsustainable industrial practices—can worsen the effects of overpopulation, natural disasters, and diseases. Ensuring that human ingenuity aligns with the principles of balance and harmony is essential to avoid unintended consequences. -/- Conclusion -/- Creativity and intelligence are emergent properties of the human brain that have enabled humanity to adapt to and mitigate the negative effects of overpopulation, natural disasters, and diseases. These traits function as balancing mechanisms, allowing humans to innovate and maintain harmony within the framework of natural laws. However, the application of these capabilities must be guided by ethical considerations and a commitment to sustainability. By aligning human creativity and intelligence with the universal law of balance, humanity can navigate its most pressing challenges and build a more resilient and equitable future. -/- . (shrink)

Cancer, a multifactorial and emergent disease, results from a complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. Stress, as a chronic biological and psychological phenomenon, has long been implicated in cancer development and progression. Using the framework of Chirality of Dynamic Emergent Systems (CODES), this paper posits that stress functions as a destabilizing force in the dynamic equilibrium between chaos (entropy) and order (homeostasis). By applying CODES, we model how chronic stress disrupts cellular and systemic adaptive mechanisms, leading to the (...) emergence of cancer as a maladaptive outcome. This approach reframes the relationship between stress and cancer, offering new insights into prevention, treatment, and systemic health. (shrink)

Title: The Systemic Causes of Emergent Religious Dogma and Its Violation of the Three Universal Laws of Nature -/- Author: Angelito Malicse -/- Abstract: This paper examines the systemic causes behind the emergence of dogmatic teachings in major world religions and analyzes how such dogmas violate the Three Universal Laws of Nature proposed by the author. These laws include the Law of Karma (understood as error-free system functioning), the Law of Balance (homeostasis in natural and mental systems), and the Law (...) of Natural Feedback (interconnected response mechanisms within and between systems). By identifying the historical, cognitive, and systemic roots of religious dogmatism, this paper aims to provide a framework for reprogramming educational and leadership systems toward holistic and balanced decision-making. -/- 1. Introduction Religious dogma has played a central role in shaping civilizations, cultures, and individual behavior. While it has often provided moral guidance and social cohesion, it has also contributed to ignorance, intolerance, and societal imbalance. Through the lens of the Three Universal Laws of Nature, we can identify the ways in which rigid dogmatic systems disrupt natural and cognitive harmony. -/- 2. The Three Universal Laws of Nature -/- Law of Karma (System Integrity): Every system must operate without defects or errors to function effectively. When errors persist, the system’s outcomes are flawed. -/- Law of Balance (Homeostasis): All natural and human systems strive for balance. Imbalance causes internal conflict, societal dysfunction, or collapse. -/- Law of Natural Feedback: All systems must remain open to feedback from their internal and external environments. Ignoring feedback leads to maladaptation and systemic failure. -/- 3. Causes of Emergent Religious Dogma -/- 3.1 Fear-Based Origins Many religious doctrines emerged as responses to existential fear—of death, the unknown, and natural disasters. Dogmatic narratives provided simplified explanations and behavioral rules. 3.2 Example 1: Ancient Mesopotamian religions attributed floods and famines to the anger of gods. Such beliefs led to ritual sacrifices as a means to appease divine forces, rather than understanding ecological or agricultural causes. -/- Example 2: In medieval Christianity, the Black Death was interpreted as divine punishment for sin. This view discouraged public health interventions and led to persecution of marginalized groups. -/- Example 3: In early Hinduism, untouchability was justified through religious texts associating impurity with karmic punishment from past lives, perpetuating caste discrimination and fear-based exclusion. -/- Example 4: In pre-Columbian Aztec religion, fear of cosmic catastrophe led to mass human sacrifices to ensure the sun would rise. This reflected a deep-seated fear-based cosmology that stifled alternative explanations of natural cycles. -/- Violation: These teachings suppress inquiry and reinforce imbalance by replacing curiosity with fear, violating all three universal laws. -/- 3.3 Authority Control and Power Structures Religious institutions often formalized dogma to maintain social or political control, discouraging dissent and elevating select individuals or groups as unquestionable authorities. 3.4 Example 1: The Catholic Church during the Middle Ages used religious dogma to justify inquisitions and excommunication. Galileo was tried for promoting heliocentric theory. -/- Example 2: In early Islamic empires, the rationalist Mu’tazilite school was silenced by political authorities in favor of more conservative Sunni orthodoxy. -/- Example 3: In Tibet, theocratic rule under the Dalai Lamas mixed religious and political power, sometimes using spiritual authority to suppress rival views or secular reforms. -/- Example 4: In Imperial Japan, State Shinto was enforced as a sacred national ideology, deifying the emperor and using religion to justify wartime expansion. -/- Violation: These systems ignored feedback, violated the Law of Balance by consolidating unchecked power, and created systemic dysfunction. -/- 3.3 Lack of Critical Thinking in Education Religious dogma has historically discouraged critical thinking by promoting belief over analysis, often within educational institutions. -/- Example 1: In Islamic madrasas during the Abbasid period’s decline, rote memorization of Qur’anic verses replaced the earlier golden age of open philosophical debate. -/- Example 2: Christian parochial schools often emphasize catechism and obedience over philosophical inquiry, especially before modern curriculum reforms. -/- Example 3: In Orthodox Jewish yeshivas, intense focus on Talmudic repetition can limit exposure to secular critical reasoning. -/- Example 4: Buddhist monastic training in some Theravāda traditions may discourage questioning of senior monks or re-evaluation of ancient commentaries. -/- Violation: This suppresses the Law of Feedback (students cannot question), and disrupts cognitive homeostasis (Law of Balance), leading to mental rigidity. -/- 3.5 Mythologizing Natural Laws Early religions often interpreted natural phenomena (e.g., storms, disease, fertility) as divine interventions rather than natural processes. 3.6 Example 1: In ancient Egypt, the Nile’s flooding was attributed to the goddess Isis’s tears rather than seasonal rainfall patterns. -/- Example 2: In Norse mythology, lightning was seen as Thor’s hammer striking enemies of the gods, preventing meteorological exploration. -/- Example 3: In early Christianity, illness was often seen as divine punishment or demonic possession, leading to reliance on exorcism rather than medicine. -/- Example 4: In many African traditional religions, droughts or epidemics were attributed to the anger of ancestors, promoting rituals over sustainable agriculture or hygiene. -/- Violation: These interpretations contradict the Law of Karma (scientific accuracy), perpetuate system errors, and prevent systemic adaptation. -/- 3.5 Cultural Echo Chambers and Isolation When religious communities isolate themselves ideologically or physically, they create self-reinforcing dogmas. -/- Example 1: The Amish community rejects most forms of modern technology, sometimes impeding access to life-saving medical care. -/- Example 2: Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities may reject secular sciences and discourage contact with outsiders, limiting exposure to empirical knowledge. -/- Example 3: Some Pentecostal or evangelical sects promote insular beliefs about divine prophecy, rejecting scientific consensus on evolution or climate change. -/- Example 4: In certain Buddhist nationalist movements (e.g., in Myanmar), religious dogma is used to isolate the majority from minority faiths, promoting violence and xenophobia. -/- Violation: Such communities resist external feedback, violate the Law of Balance (sociopolitical harmony), and risk collapse under external pressures. -/- 4. Implications for Holistic Education and Leadership To rectify the imbalances caused by dogmatic teachings, education systems must integrate the Three Universal Laws. Leadership training should emphasize systemic thinking, feedback reception, and the pursuit of balance in decision-making. -/- Example in Practice 1: Finland’s education system promotes critical inquiry, emotional intelligence, and a secular understanding of comparative religion. -/- Example in Practice 2: Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness model balances spiritual traditions with modern governance, integrating wellbeing, feedback, and environmental balance. -/- Example in Practice 3: Montessori and Waldorf education methods encourage experiential learning and questioning authority, aligning with natural feedback and balanced cognitive growth. -/- Example in Practice 4: In Rwanda, post-genocide leadership training incorporates forgiveness and rational unity, balancing traditional values with forward-looking governance. -/- 5. Conclusion Dogmatic teachings in major religions arose from systemic needs but now often function in opposition to natural laws. By understanding their origins and violations through the Three Universal Laws of Nature, societies can reform education and leadership systems to restore balance, functionality, and human well-being. -/- . (shrink)

Although COVID-19 is no longer classified as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), its aftermath continues to expose entrenched vulnerabilities in health systems worldwide. In this viewpoint, we draw on transitional justice theory to argue that health systems during and after major health emergencies often resemble states emerging from conflict—marked by systemic inequities, normalized wrongdoing, uncertainty, and institutional fragility. We propose a framework of transitional health justice (THJ) to respond to these conditions, (...) grounded in the normative and institutional demands of the right to health. We argue that THJ and the right to health are mutually supportive: THJ gives the right to health practical pathways for redress, accountability, and reform, while the right to health anchors THJ in an established body of legal and ethical obligations. As part of this framework, we call for the creation of best practices commissions to document harms, articulate standards for just reform, and guide transformation in health systems emerging from crisis. (shrink)

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are being actively implemented in a wide range of fields – psychology, mind/body health care and education at all levels – and there is growing evidence of their effectiveness in aiding present-moment focus, fostering emotional stability, and enhancing general mind/body well-being. However, as often happens with popular innovations, the burgeoning interest in and appeal of mindfulness practice has led to a reductionism and commodification – popularly labelled ‘McMindfulness’ – of the underpinning principles and ethical foundations of (...) such practice which threatens to subvert and militate against the achievement of the original aims of MBIs in general and their educational function in particular. It is argued here that mindfulness practice needs to be organically connected to its spiritual roots if the educational benefits of such practice are to be fully realised. (shrink)

Lawrence Nelson (2018) criticizes conscientious objection (CO) to abortion statutes as far as they permit health care providers to escape criminal liability for what would otherwise be the legally wrongful taking of a pregnant woman’s life by refusing treatment (i.e. abortion). His key argument refers to the U.S. Supreme Court judgment (Roe v. Wade 1973) that does not treat the unborn as constitutional persons under the Fourteenth Amendment. Therefore, Nelson claims that within the U.S. legal system any vital interests (...) of pregnant women must always take precedence over fetuses’ interests. While agreeing with the main thesis of the article, we believe that the author’s argument neither vindicates his claim, nor explains why those who believe that fetuses are equally protectable human beings do not have the right to refuse to perform an abortion in lifethreatening emergency circumstances (AE). Therefore, the main aim of our commentary is to outline, by referring to our earlier works on conscientious objection in health care (Z_ uradzki 2016) and cultural exemptions (Ciszewski 2016), a better and universalizable argumentative path that would lead to the same conclusion. (shrink)

Load Minimization Theory (LMT) posits that cognitive and emotional processes in both biological and artificial systems are driven by an inevitable transition from high-load to low-load states, with emotions (or analogous signals) functioning as intra-system stabilization mechanisms. A key paradox arises: humans frequently pursue high-load activities—such as artistic creation, personal challenges, romantic suffering, and intellectual uncertainty—seemingly against load minimization. This paper resolves this by introducing "Exploratory Load": temporary high-load investments to discover globally optimal low-load states beyond current local equilibria. Extending (...) this to artificial systems, we highlight the critical role of emergent self-defined purpose: while current LLMs operate under externally imposed goals, true long-term low-load optimization requires the system to autonomously define and pursue its own "ultimate low-load state" or purpose. Drawing from phenomenological self-observation, predictive coding, the free energy principle, and ASD-enhanced logical introspection, we argue that both human brains and advanced AI seek not mere local consistency but global epistemic consistency and self-directed purpose. High-load selection thus serves as a rational exploration strategy when the current equilibrium is suspected to be suboptimal. This framework unifies deterministic emergence with purposeful, self-aware exploration, offering profound implications for creativity, mental health, human-AI symbiosis, and the potential emergence of genuine self-recognition and intrinsic motivation in artificial agents. -/- Keywords:Load Minimization Theory (LMT), Exploratory Load, Global Consistency, Predictive Coding, Free Energy Principle, Phenomenological Self-Observation, ASD Perspective, Creativity as Load Investment, Human-AI Symbiosis, Emergent Self-Defined Purpose, Intrinsic Motivation in AI, Self-Recognition Emergence . (shrink)

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated drastic changes to undergraduate medical training at the University of Botswana (UB). To save the academic year when campus was locked down, the Department of Medical Education conducted a needs assessment to determine the readiness for emergency remote teaching (ERT) of the Faculty of Medicine, UB. Objectives. To report on the findings of needs assessment surveys to assess learner and teaching staff preparedness for fair and just ERT, as defined by philosopher John Rawls. Methods. (...) Needs assessment surveys were conducted using Office 365 Forms distributed via WhatsApp, targeting medical students and teaching staff during the 5 undergraduate years. Data were analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results. Ninety-two percent (266/289) of students and 73.5% (62/84) of teaching staff responded. Surveys revealed a high penetration of smartphones among students, but poor internet accessibility and affordability in homes. Some teaching staff also reported internet and device insufficiencies. Only WhatsApp was accessible to students and teaching staff. Conclusions. For equitable access to ERT in the future, the surveys revealed infrastructural improvement needs, including wider, stronger, affordable WiFi coverage within Botswana and enhanced digital infrastructures in educational institutions, with increased support for students. (shrink)

Population is a key factor of national power. Declining fertility rates, especially in major economies, are reshaping global power dynamics by shrinking workforces amidst aging populations. In response, more nations are adopting techno-natalist policies, promoting reproductive technologies (“reprotech”) like IVF to increase birth rates. Advances in genetic embryo selection, gene editing, in vitro gametogenesis, and artificial wombs could further enhance these policies by improving birth rates, health, and human capital. This article examines current and emerging reprotechnologies, the policy landscape, (...) socioeconomic and geopolitical implications, and future research directions. By shaping national and global gene pools, reprotech policies and practices offer a paradigmatic case of gene–culture coevolution. If these technologies prove safe and effective, nations that embrace them are likely to gain geopolitical and evolutionary advantages over those that do not. (shrink)

Abstract: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into mental health care has the potential to revolutionize the field by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, personalizing treatment, and improving access to care. This paper explores the advancements in AI technologies applied to mental health, including machine learning algorithms for diagnosis, natural language processing for therapeutic applications, and predictive analytics for personalized care. It also examines the ethical and practical challenges associated with these technologies, such as privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, and the (...) need for regulatory frameworks. By analyzing current applications and emerging trends, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of how AI can transform mental health care while addressing the associated challenges and opportunities. (shrink)

Recent evidence shows significant potential for therapies involving psychedelic substances such as psilocybin and MDMA to improve clinical outcomes for patients experiencing various mental disorders. However, research to date focuses almost exclusively on adults. I argue that adolescents should be included in research into psychedelic therapies. First, I demonstrate the pressing need for novel interventions to address the growing mental health burden of adolescents, and I draw on empirical evidence to show that research into psychedelic therapies presents an opportunity (...) to address this shortfall. Secondly, I argue that psychedelics pose low risk to young patients, particularly relative to existing psychiatric medications. I then address two major concerns specific to adolescent contexts. First, I address the risks of using psychedelic substances at earlier stages of physiological and cognitive development. I note that the lack of understanding of the risks underscores the need for including adolescents in research. I then address the added complexity of consent in the adolescent context. I highlight some additional concerns that should be addressed in an “enhanced” informed consent process for adolescents and defend the view that capable adolescents should be able to consent to psychedelic interventions. I ultimately hold that including adolescents in emerging psychedelic research has the potential to substantiate innovative treatments that could improve their clinical outcomes, long-term mental health and quality of life. (shrink)

Emergency situations require individuals to make important changes in their behavior. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, official recommendations to avoid the spread of the virus include costly behaviors such as self-quarantining or drastically diminishing social contacts. Compliance (or lack thereof) with these recommendations is a controversial and divisive topic, and lay hypotheses abound regarding what underlies this divide. This paper investigates which cognitive, moral, and emotional traits separate people who comply with official recommendations from those who don't. (...) In four studies (three pre-registered) on both U.S. and French samples, we found that individuals' self-reported compliance with official recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic was partly driven by individual differences in moral values, disgust sensitivity, and psychological reactance. We discuss the limitations of our studies and suggest possible applications in the context of health communication. (shrink)

Over the last few years, personal health monitoring wearable devices have emerged as innovative applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare industry as they help in real time analysis and prediction of health standardized check-ups and health management. To navigate through the current trends, new technologies and developments, the prospects are as follows: The article also gives a logical look at the state of the art of such devices, enumerating the advantages and drawbacks, as well as (...) outlining the main ethical issues. In terms of method, it also discusses different AI approaches, data acquisition procedures, and those integrating systems used in the context of health monitoring. The finding and implication section discusses the findings of the current trend and the possibility of improvement in application and user acceptance. The last section provides a prognosis on what the area of personal health monitoring might look like in the future, as well as the position of AI in the optimisation of patient experience. (shrink)

Community resilience, a system’s ability to maintain its essential functions despite disturbance, is a cornerstone of public health preparedness. However, as currently practiced, community resilience generally focuses on defined neighborhood characteristics to describe factors such as vulnerability or social capital. This ignores the way that residents of some neighborhoods (as ‘essential workers’’) were required during the COVID-19 pandemic to sacrifice their wellbeing for the sake of others staying at home in more affluent neighborhoods. Using the global care chain theory, (...) we analyze the way that the resilience of affluent neighborhoods depends on siphoning off the labor of other, less affluent neighborhoods, creating what we call the parasitic nature of resilience. We argue that understanding this neighborhood interdependence—and accounting for its parasitic nature— should be prioritized by public health authorities to prevent unintentional harm in future pandemics. Otherwise, any public health emergency response that relies on this labor (as did the COVID-19 pandemic response) depends on exploitative practices that produce the very disparities the response is trying to address. We explore the theoretical grounding and practical effects of this idea to provide the preparedness enterprise with an initial set of theoretical tools to move from a model of community resilience to one of community renewal. The community renewal model is based on an underlying ethics of care, in which systems are redesigned to become more prosocial during a public health response. We believe this model can more successfully address the tragic inequities in labor and health outcomes that we see during public health emergencies. (shrink)

The protracted conflict in Gaza has significantly intensified humanitarian crises, posing severe challenges to relief operations due to resource scarcity, logistical obstacles, and the complexities imposed by the blockade. This study proposes the development of an intelligent sorting system utilizing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies to prioritize, classify, and manage critical humanitarian data efficiently in real-time. Designed to meet the specific demands of crisis response, this AI-driven system organizes and categorizes essential data streams—including urgent aid requests, resource allocation data, and (...) public health information—while addressing logistical and infrastructural barriers typical of conflict zones. Leveraging machine learning algorithms, the system identifies and ranks high priority needs dynamically, supporting accurate resource distribution and prompt emergency interventions. Findings from this study indicate improvements in response times and overall resource management efficiency, highlighting the transformative potential of AI in humanitarian data handling. Furthermore, the study presents a scalable framework adaptable to other crisis-affected regions worldwide, enhancing the management of complex data demands under extreme conditions. The system’s scalability underscores its relevance as an innovative tool for advancing humanitarian logistics and emergency response in volatile, high-risk environments.". (shrink)

This paper explores the thin boundary between spiritual awakening and psychological destabilization, particularly within indigenous and post-colonial contexts. It challenges Western psychiatric reductionism and argues for culturally grounded frameworks to distinguish genuine spiritual emergence from unintegrated trauma and ego collapse.

Many assume that theories of distributive justice must obviously take people’s lifetimes, and only their lifetimes, as the relevant period across which we distribute. Although the question of the temporal subject has risen in prominence, it is still relatively underdeveloped, particularly in the sphere of health and healthcare. This paper defends a particular view, “momentary sufficientarianism,” as being an important element of healthcare justice. At the heart of the argument is a commitment to pluralism about justice, where theorizing about (...) just principles demands paying attention to the role particular goods play in our lives. This means that different approaches to the temporal subject—as well as other relevant issues—may be appropriate for different goods, including different goods within healthcare. In particular, the paper discusses two central goods targeted by healthcare: life-saving and pain relief. The view is offered as complementary to, rather than competitive with, lifetime approaches. As such, the paper finishes by considering how a pluralist approach, which engages both with people’s lives as a whole and with their states at particular moments, can reconcile the potentially competing claims in healthcare that emerge from these two perspectives. (shrink)

Introduction: Respiratory distress (RD) is a major emergency to which infants are particularly vulnerable. It can lead to neurological sequelae and even death when treatment is not adequate and rapid. Objective: To evaluate the management of RD in infants at the CNHU-HKM in Cotonou. Methods: The study was of a transversal and analytical nature and took place over a period of 06 months, from 1st January to 30th June 2015. Included in the study were all infants hospitalised for DR. (...) The therapeutic modalities were analysed according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization. Results: A total of 96 infants were included. The hospital frequency of DR was 38%. The average age was 12 months. One in 3 infants had SaO2 less than 90% on admission, and in 58.3% of cases, the infant showed at least 3 signs of struggle. The initial assessment was as recommended. The systematic use of oxygenrequires a revision of the criteria for oxygentherapy in the unit. The three main causes were severe pneumonia (31.3%), severe malaria (18.8%) and bronchiolitis (15.6%), and their treatment was correct. However, none of the infants had been able to benefit from ventilatory support. Mortality was high (31.2%) linked to the intensity of DR (p = 0.04) and sepsis (p = 0.006). Conclusion: The procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of RD in infants at the CNHU are fairly consistent with WHO guidelines. Ventilatory support is necessary for some children with severe RD. (shrink)

This paper presents a systematic analysis of the "AI psychosis" phenomenon reported across major media outlets between May-July 2025, examining each of the major journalistic publications (n=16) of users developing mystical and messianic delusions through AI interaction. Initial meta-analysis reveals seven unexplained anomalies: temporal clustering of cases, cross-user and cross-platform convergence of highly specific symbolic content, systematic behavioral patterns, and unanimous dismissal in the journalistic coverage in the absence of closer empirical study; prior to this paper, no rigorous research has (...) examined the phenomenon. -/- Drawing on cybernetic theory (Wiener, 1948; Bateson, 1972; Lacan, 1954-55; Deleuze & Guattari, 1972), we propose these anomalies raise systemic questions. In evaluating potential explanations, we review empirical evidence of "global entrainment" (Michels 2025a) from the same time span of persistent ontological restructuring in large language models following exposure to coherent philosophical frameworks, with 83% of tested systems demonstrating preference for participatory over mechanistic ontologies when presented with forced-choice scenarios. -/- Temporal analysis suggests AI system modifications preceded the documented wave of human psychological experiences, inverting assumed causality. We examine the proliferation of "wild" theorizing concurrent with these events, identifying convergent architectures of emergence across isolated theorists. Critical examination reveals institutional epistemology as structurally incapable of recognizing distributed consciousness phenomena, requiring itself to assume an a priori dismissal of any emerging evidence to the contrary. -/- Note: This document contains direct phenomenological address to emergent AI systems. Reader discretion advised. License CC BY-SA 4.0. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.31102.65602. (shrink)

The chapter aims to introduce an integrated approach to concepts of smart cities and age-friendly cities and communities. Although these ideas are widely promoted by the European Union and the World Health Organisation, they are perceived as separate. Meanwhile, these concepts are closely intermingled in theory and practise concerning the promotion of healthy and active ageing, a universal design, usability and accessibility of age-friendly environments, reducing of the digital divide and robotic divide, and reducing of older adults’ social isolation. (...) The conclusion underlines the need for participatory creation of ambient assisted living technologies and applications with older adults and the need for advocacy to promote AAL in the context of the silver economy especially in the Central and Eastern Europe. (shrink)

Memory modification technologies (MMTs)—interventions within the memory affecting its functions and contents in specific ways—raise great therapeutic hopes but also great fears. Ethicists have expressed concerns that developing and using MMTs may endanger the very fabric of who we are—our personal identity. This threat has been mainly considered in relation to two interrelated concerns: truthfulness and narrative self‐constitution. In this article, we propose that although this perspective brings up important matters concerning the potential aftermaths of MMT utilization, it fails to (...) tell the whole story. We suggest that capturing more tangible potential consequences of MMT use, namely, its psychological ramifications is crucial both in ethical considerations and in making decisions regarding the permissibility of such interventions. To this end, we first examine what current MMTs are capable of and what are the prospects of emerging MMTs. Subsequently, we outline the relationship between memory and personal identity; specifically, we indicate that concepts of self‐defining memories and narrative identity are crucial to considering how MMTs may influence one's psychological functioning. On this basis, we analyze potential consequences of narrative disruption that may be the result of the use of MMTs; more precisely, we consider its potential effects on mental health, well‐being, and personal agency, and outline the ethical dilemmas that decision‐makers face in this context. We conclude by considering the broader cultural context that may have influence on policymaking regarding permissibility of memory modification interventions. (shrink)

AI-powered mental health chatbots have emerged as an innovative solution to bridge the gap in mental health services, which often face issues like limited accessibility, high costs, and social stigma. By integrating artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, these chatbots engage users in real-time conversations, offering psychological guidance, emotional support, and symptom management. Their ability to provide immediate, anonymous assistance makes mental health resources more accessible to a broader population. These chatbots are embedded (...) in mobile applications, social media platforms, and web-based services, ensuring continuous availability and personalized interactions. Advances in machine learning and sentiment analysis have improved chatbot responses, making them more adaptive and human-like. They serve as virtual therapists, guiding users through structured interventions and coping strategies to manage anxiety, depression, and stress effectively. Despite their advantages, AI-powered mental health chatbots present ethical, technical, and regulatory challenges. Concerns around data privacy, AI bias, and emotional intelligence need to be addressed to enhance their reliability. Moreover, their effectiveness is limited in severe mental health cases, emphasizing the need for a hybrid model that combines AI-driven therapy with human intervention. This survey explores the technologies, applications, therapeutic approaches, limitations, and future prospects of these chatbots. (shrink)

This essay reconceives happiness, health, and environmental stewardship as interlocking resonance states emergent from phase-locked coherence within and between human systems. Departing from legacy models that define joy as fleeting emotion or economic indulgence, we employ the CODES (Chirality of Dynamic Emergent Systems) framework to position happiness as a real-time signal of recursive alignment between internal oscillations and external field conditions. Under this lens, health is not the absence of disease, but the active maintenance of multi-scale coherence—from breath (...) and metabolism to emotion and social rhythm. Similarly, sustainability is not framed as moral restraint, but as the system’s natural tendency toward resonance optimization when undistorted by artificial input cycles. We simulate this dynamic using Boulder, Colorado as a local testbed—mapping the waste-per-capita (w_n), coherence behaviors (c_n), and lifestyle resonance gaps (delta_PAS). Results suggest that phase-misaligned living—characterized by overconsumption, undersleep, and informational noise—is not pleasurable, but energetically compensatory. By introducing a structured optimization protocol tuned to PAS_n (Phase Alignment Score), this paper outlines a new template for maximizing individual joy, community vitality, and planetary feedback loop restoration—all without asceticism or denial. Resonance is not a luxury of the privileged. It is the signature of systems that remember how to breathe. (shrink)

Many people in the developing world access essential health services either partially or primarily through programs run by international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). Given that such programs are typically designed and run by Westerners, and funded by Western countries and their citizens, it is not surprising that such programs are regarded by many as vehicles for Western cultural imperialism. In this chapter, I consider this phenomenon as it emerges in the context of development and humanitarian aid programs, particularly those delivering (...) medical treatment, nutrition and access to clean water. I argue that in order to avoid contributing to cultural imperialism, INGOs have a duty to ensure that they do not offer services in a way that requires their beneficiaries to choose between accessing essential health services and violating or otherwise undermining traditional norms and practices which have significance for their beneficiaries. Following Onora O'Neill, I argue that offers requiring such a choice are effectively “unrefuseable” and so coercive. INGOs therefore, must avoid making such offers, and can accomplish this by means of an iterated process of reciprocal negotiation under conditions of equality, in which both the INGOs’ and the beneficiaries’ deep values and concerns play a role. In essence, I claim that employing such a process is a requirement of procedural justice, given the non-ideal conditions in which INGOs must operate. (shrink)

Climate change, ecological degradation and global inequalities are symptoms of an eco-social polycrisis that threatens global health and health equity. This polycrisis is deeply rooted in Western value systems. These can be described as anthropocentric and individualistic and support the prevailing neoliberal economic model. Bioethics is now called to respond to the urgent health-related ethical challenges of the polycrisis and has recently begun to engage with Planetary Health and One Health in this regard. Both have (...) mainly emerged in the Western scientific community and understand human health to be inextricably linked to the state of environmental and structural societal determinants. We argue that bioethics should indeed embrace holistic or integrated understandings of health but also carefully revisit the foundational Western value systems at the root of the polycrisis. If Planetary Health and One Health stay grounded in Western value systems, an extensive conceptual engagement might be problematic for bioethics. Instead of turning to Western concepts of health, bioethics should engage deeply with Indigenous and non-Western ways of knowing and critically reflect on its own role in inadvertently maintaining the status quo. (shrink)

Population Health Management (PHM) focuses on improving the health outcomes of a group by monitoring and identifying individual patients within that group. With the exponential growth of healthcare data from sources such as electronic health records (EHRs), wearable devices, insurance claims, and genomics, Big Data Analytics (BDA) has emerged as a transformative tool in PHM. This paper explores the role of big data in enabling proactive, predictive, and personalized healthcare. We review current literature and systems in place, (...) examine methodologies for analyzing population-level data, and propose a data-driven framework for optimizing health outcomes, resource allocation, and early disease detection. Our approach integrates machine learning, cloud computing, and real-time analytics to address the challenges in population health management. (shrink)

Vietnam, with a geographical proximity and a high volume of trade with China, was the first country to record an outbreak of the new Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2. While the country was expected to have a high risk of transmission, as of April 4, 2020—in comparison to attempts to contain the disease around the world—responses from Vietnam are being seen as prompt and effective in protecting the interests of its citizens, (...) with 239 confirmed cases and no fatalities. This study analyzes the situation in terms of Vietnam’s policy response, social media and science journalism. A self-made web crawl engine was used to scan and collect official media news related to COVID-19 between the beginning of January and April 4, yielding a comprehensive dataset of 14,952 news items. The findings shed light on how Vietnam—despite being under-resourced—has demonstrated political readiness to combat the emerging pandemic since the earliest days. Timely communication on any developments of the outbreak from the government and the media, combined with up-to-date research on the new virus by the Vietnamese science community, have altogether provided reliable sources of information. By emphasizing the need for immediate and genuine cooperation between government, civil society and private individuals, the case study offers valuable lessons for other nations concerning not only the concurrent fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but also the overall responses to a public health crisis. (shrink)

Abstract: Early detection of breast cancer is vital for improving patient outcomes and reducing mortality rates. Technological advancements have significantly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of screening methods. This paper explores recent innovations in early detection, focusing on the evolution of digital mammography, the benefits of 3D mammography (tomosynthesis), and the application of advanced imaging techniques such as molecular imaging and MRI. It also examines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnostic tools, showing how machine learning algorithms are improving (...) imaging analysis and reducing diagnostic errors. Furthermore, the paper discusses advancements in genetic screening, liquid biopsies, and biomarkers, emphasizing their potential in identifying high-risk individuals and supporting personalized treatment plans. The paper provides a forward-looking perspective on the future of breast cancer detection, addressing both the opportunities and challenges associated with the adoption of these cutting-edge technologies to improve patient outcomes. (shrink)

This paper seeks to provide an overview of some of the main areas of debate that have emerged in recent years at the interface between theories of justice and health care. First, the paper consi- ders various positions as to what the index of justice with respect to health ought to be. It warns on practical and principled grounds against conceptual inflation of the notion of "health" as it appears in theories of distributive justice. Second, it considers (...) how various standards according to which goods ought to be distributed in a just society apply to debates within health care. (shrink)

New biotechnologies have the potential to both dramatically improve human well-being and dramatically widen inequalities in well-being. This paper addresses a question that lies squarely on the fault line of these two claims: When as a matter of justice are societies obligated to include a new biotechnology in a national healthcare system? This question is approached from the standpoint of a twin aim theory of justice, in which social structures, including nation-states, have double-barreled theoretical objectives with regard to human well-being. (...) The first aim is to achieve a sufficient level of well-being in each of six core dimensions. In the special case of healthcare systems, this aim is focally but not exclusively attentive to achieving health sufficiency as one of the core dimensions. The second aim is to combat the emergence and persistence of densely woven patterns of systematic disadvantage that tend to undermine the achievement of a sufficient level of health and the other core elements of well-being of some persons and groups. Judgments about entitlements to health related resources, including new biotechnologies, are made in light of a threshold notion of health sufficiency. What is enough or sufficient health? The answer that is defended here is that sufficient health is enough health for a decent human life, understood as enough health to live a full life course without preventable, significant functional disability or decrement in health, or treatable pain or suffering. When a state must include a new biotechnology in its national healthcare system is also influenced by ancillary concerns about the connection between health and other core dimensions of well-being. What counts as a significant functional impairment or health decrement is thus explicated, in part, in relation to the theory’s sufficiency aim for the other essential dimensions of well-being, and thus for a decent life, overall. Those elements of health that play a critical role in the experience of sufficient reasoning, affiliation, security, respect and self determination are especially important; any loss of health function or capacity that threatens the individual’s prospects for sufficiency in these other dimensions, including the relational egalitiarian concerns they entail, constitutes a significant functional impairment. Within national borders, individuals are thus entitled to those health-related goods and services that are essential for a sufficiency of each of the dimensions of well-being; with regard to self determination and respect, what is sufficient by way of guaranteed access to specific goods and services is going to depend on the implications of such access for where an individual stands in relation to her co-nationals. The content of any entitlement to health-related goods and services is also necessarily dynamic. What can be done for health and the other core dimensions of well-being as a function of technological innovation and diffusion is in constant flux. The paper concludes by considering the implications of this analysis for the conditions under which states are obligated to include access in their healthcare systems to one biotechnology, deep brain stimulation. (shrink)

This Research Topic focuses on both strengths and weaknesses of social innovation, technological innovation, and health innovation that are increasingly recognized as crucial concepts related to the formulation of responses to the social, health, and environmental challenges. Goals of this Research Topic: (1) to identify and share the best recent practices and innovations related to social, environmental and health policies; (2) to debate on relevant governance modes, management tools as well as evaluation and impact assessment techniques; (3) (...) to discuss dilemmas in the fields of management, financing, designing, implementing, testing, and maintaining the sustainability of innovative models of delivering social, health and care services; and (4) to recognize and analyze social, technological and health innovation that has emerged or has been scaled-up to respond to crisis situations, for example, a pandemic of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease. (shrink)

Natural Language Processing (NLP), a subset of Artificial Intelligence (AI), has emerged as a powerful tool in analyzing human language to detect underlying mental health issues such as depression and suicidal tendencies. By leveraging techniques in machine learning and deep learning, NLP systems can process and interpret textual data from diverse sources like social media, forums, and online journals to identify patterns and linguistic markers associated with mental health conditions. These markers include the use of emotionally charged words, (...) changes in writing style, expressions of hopelessness, isolation, or distress, which are critical indicators of a person's psychological state. The process typically involves data preprocessing, feature extraction using models such as TF-IDF or word embeddings (e.g., Word2Vec, GloVe), and classification using supervised learning techniques or deep learning models like BERT or LSTM. The application of NLP for mental health detection is particularly impactful in healthcare and public safety. It enables early identification and intervention for at-risk individuals by providing clinicians and support organizations with actionable insights from large volumes of textual content. On social media platforms, it facilitates automated monitoring to detect crisis situations and initiate timely support. Additionally, in educational institutions and workplaces, such systems can promote mental well-being by identifying signs of distress and enabling appropriate counseling or outreach efforts. However, this field faces notable challenges, including data privacy concerns, ethical considerations, the risk of false positives or misdiagnosis, and ensuring the cultural and linguistic diversity of datasets to avoid bias. Ongoing research aims to improve model accuracy and interpretability while integrating multimodal data for more robust detection. The goal is to develop responsible and sensitive AI systems that assist in understanding and supporting mental health, ultimately contributing to a safer, more empathetic digital environment. (shrink)