Ethics in medical profiling and online medicine Professor Jonathan Wolff Professor of Philosophy, University College London

Ethical values Safeguarding private information Individuals being able to pursue their own interests in their own way Efforts by the state to reduce harm Using public resources efficiently and fairly Sharing risks, protecting the vulnerable: social solidarity

‘Softening’ ethical dilemmas The ethical values often conflict No one value trumps the others Our approach: Establish benefits and harms in each case Attempt to ‘soften’ conflicts between ethical values by respecting each as much as possible Recommend interventions that are evidence-based, proportionate and feasible

Examples of pros and cons Potential advantages Potential disadvantages Convenience Empowerment Early intervention Control Act in private Price competition Misleading information Misinterpretation Wasted money Unnecessary anxiety Breaches of information privacy Damage to patient-doctor relationship