Harm is a moral and legal concept with multiple definitions. It generally functions as a synonym for evil or anything that is bad under certain moral systems. Something that causes harm is harmful, and something that does not is harmless.

Philosophical construction

Moral philosopher Bernard Gert construed harm (or "evil") as any of the following:[1]

Joel Feinberg gives an account of harm as setbacks to interests.[2] He distinguishes welfare interests from ulterior interests. Hence on his view there are two kinds of harm.

Welfare interests are:

Medical classifications

In the UK, harm is classified in a medical context as "severe", "moderate" or "mild". Severe harm is associated with resulting permanent disability, whereas mild and moderate harm can be resolved over a period of time.[8] Medical reporting duties and the statutory duty of candour are associated with moderate and severe harm and also with "prolonged psychological harm".[9]

Harm reduction

Harm statistics for common drugs

Harm reduction, or harm minimization, refers to a range of intentional practices and public health policies designed to lessen the negative social and/or physical consequences associated with various human behaviors, both legal and illegal.[10] Harm reduction is used to decrease negative consequences of recreational drug use and sexual activity without requiring abstinence, recognizing that those unable or unwilling to stop can still make positive change to protect themselves and others.[11][12]

A table of various supplies for testing drugs

Harm reduction is most commonly applied to approaches that reduce adverse consequences from drug use, and harm reduction programs now operate across a range of services and in different regions of the world. As of 2020, some 86 countries had one or more programs using a harm reduction approach to substance use, primarily aimed at reducing blood-borne infections resulting from use of contaminated injecting equipment.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Gert 2004
  2. ↑ Feinberg 1984.
  3. ↑ Feinberg 1984, p. 37.
  4. ↑ "The origin of primum non nocere." British Medical Journal electronic responses and commentary, 1 September 2002.
  5. ↑ An Essay on the Philosophy of Medical Science, Lea & Blanchard, 1844
  6. ↑ Smith, C. M. (2005). "Origin and Uses of Primum Non Nocere – Above All, Do No Harm!". The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 45 (4): 371–77. doi:10.1177/0091270004273680. PMID 15778417. S2CID 41058798.
  7. ↑ Inman, Thomas (1860). Hays, Isaac (ed.). "Book review of Foundation for a New Theory and Practice of Medicine". The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. XL. Philadelphia, PA: Blanchard and Lea: 450–58.
  8. ↑ Panagioti, M. et al., Preventable Patient Harm across Health Care Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Understanding Harmful Care), a report for the General Medical Council, July 2017, accessed 7 January 2024
  9. ↑ Devlin, M., The candour threshold, MDU Journal, Issue 2, accessed 7 January 2024
  10. ↑ Marshall, Zack; B.R. Smith, Christopher (2016). Critical approaches to harm reduction : conflict, institutionalization, de-politicization, and direct action. New York. ISBN 978-1-63484-902-9. OCLC 952337014.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ↑ Open Society Foundations (2021). What is Harm Reduction. New York: Open Society Foundations.
  12. ↑ Harm Reduction International (2021). "What Is Harm Reduction?". Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  13. ↑ Harm Reduction International (2021). Global State of Harm Reduction 2020 (PDF). London: Harm Reduction International. pp. 18–23.

Sources

  • Feinberg, Joel. 1984. The Moral Limits of the Criminal Law, Volume 1: Harm to Others. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Bernard Gert, Common Morality, Oxford University Press, 2004.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harm