Prophylaxis is wrong

A prophylactic medical treatment is defined as any treatment or procedure which seeks to prevent illness rather than treat it. These might include:

- childhood vaccines 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

Avoiding 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.