{"id":"94c0b2dd-aaec-4d3e-bbac-4f4107b435b7","slug":"is-there-a-natural-right-to-health-care","title":"Is there a natural right to health care?","authors":["Miguel A. Faria"],"abstract":"Background: The debate surrounding health care as a natural right has gained traction, with calls for constitutional amendments to establish universal health care in the United States. Proponents argue that access to health care should be a fundamental right for all citizens, while critics assert that it imposes obligations on physicians and undermines the traditional patient-doctor relationship. Summary: This editorial argues against the notion that health care is a natural right, positing instead that it is a government-granted entitlement. The author emphasizes that genuine natural rights are inalienable and do not impose obligations on individuals, contrasting them with welfare rights that can lead to government dependency and infringe on personal autonomy. Conclusion: The assertion that medical care is a right could lead to significant ethical and professional dilemmas for physicians, as it may require them to provide services regardless of established relationships or agreements. The author warns that such a shift could erode the foundational principles of medical practice and individual freedoms. Keywords: health care, natural rights, entitlements, physician autonomy, patient-doctor relationship, government dependency, medical ethics","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/placeholders/specialty/socio-economics-politics-and-medicine.png","publishDate":"2022-09-09T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.25259/SNI_774_2022","categories":["Socio-Economics, Politics, and Medicine","Editorial"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/api/articles/94c0b2dd-aaec-4d3e-bbac-4f4107b435b7/pdf"}