Prophylaxis is wrong

Prophylaxis is wrong is a family of arguments made in the context of medical or public health debates in which a prophylactic treatment or policy is opposed. A prophylactic medical treatment is defined as any treatment or procedure which seeks to prevent illness rather than treat it. These might include:

• vaccines meant to protect against potential future diseases (both common and rare)
• booster doses of vaccines (e.g., a tetanus shot given after possible exposure to the pathogen)
• antibiotics (e.g., when given to a patient undergoing surgery)
• antiviral therapies (e.g., drugs that are meant to prevent transmission of HIV)
• preemptive surgical removal of body parts in healthy individuals (e.g., circumcision, appendectomy, mastectomy)
• taking of nutritional supplements to prevent illness

Avoidance behaviours that pose a risk of illness will not be considered (e.g., not smoking to avoid lung cancer). Only active interventions will be considered as prophylactic.

Arguments for and against prophylaxis, both from a deontological (rule-based) and consequentialist perspective will be weighed against each other.

Claim

Statement of the claim	Prophylaxis is wrong
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Nature	Ethical
Counterclaim	Prophylaxis is right
Dependent on
Dependency of