Bioethicists’ Warning: Remove the Barriers to Contraception, for Health of Women and the Planet
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
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| Description | Population growth and human overpopulation are frequently given as given and unamendable ("demography is destiny") or amendable, but by unethical means. This presentation shows that the means we have at our disposal are ethical and at the same time very effective. They are the availability of contraception, empowerment of women, education in general, environmental education in particular, and reproductive ethics (of smaller families). The presentation further discusses barriers to these means and what can be done about them. One of the main problems nowadays are barriers in accessing contraception and dropping investments into family planning programs. The relative problem of family planning is that benefits are long-term, and individuals may be unable to see them. That is, however, the purpose of preventive medicine. It is of vital importance that politicians and decision-makers trapped in their short-term myopia realize it. Herein comes philosophy with its long-term perspective, which helps to demonstrate that we need to remove the barriers to contraception, for health of women (contraceptive effect, other positive side effects of contraception) and the planet (curbing population growth, thus mitigating climate change, preventing the destruction of biosphere, species extinction, resource depletion, etc.). As such, support of family planning is ethical, pragmatical and cost-effective. |
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