Section 8: Health

How can ill health be treated?

Are there ethical issues involved with these treatments and how should decisions be made?

Candidates should:
(a) Know that health is affected by a variety of factors and that science and technology may provide the answer to some health problems.
(b) Know that some conditions can be prevented and that some can be treated by drugs or by other therapies.
(c) Know that gene therapy has been tried but there are difficulties in targeting the appropriate cells. It has been used to alleviate symptoms in Cystic Fibrosis sufferers but is not a cure for the underlying genetic condition and there may be side effects.