Is opportunistic disease prevention in the consultation ethically justifiable?

摘要

Opportunistic disease prevention and health promotion are regarded as part of good primary health care The number of relevant preventive measures has increased greatly over the past two decades Decisions about preventive measures need proper discussion about both benefits and harms, which takes time An extensive preventive agenda may divert the dialogue between patient and doctor away from important social and relational issues relevant to the patient's health Routine opportunistic preventive initiatives may no longer be ethically justifiable in contemporary Western medicine.