Abstract

This article as the series title suggests focuses our attention on decisions, both medical and ethical, which face doctors and related personnel in the medical profession daily. Many of these decisions take the form of a choice to one thing or another without being very sure of the outcome of either action. Mr Galbraith explores the pros and cons of what he calls the 'no lose' philosophy in medicine and which plays a large part in medical decision making. He concludes that possibly we may need a new philosophy rather than continuing to use more and more of our resources on care, which is perhaps being carried out as a means of avoiding making value judgements and thus possibly, prevents us from solving some of today's difficult ethical problems.