About the Book
This 6th edition of "Taking Sides: Health and Society" is a debate-style reader designed to introduce students to controversies in health science and personal health. The debates are focused around issues of substance use and abuse; sexuality and gender; environment and health; the mind/body relationship and consumer health and nutrition. The student Web site, Dushkin Online provides study support and links to health-related sites.
Table of Contents:
PART 1. The Health Care Industry ISSUE 1. Will Managed Care Improve Health Care in the United States? YES: David Jacobsen, from "Cost-Conscious Care," Reason" (June 1996) NO: Ronald J. Glasser, from "The Doctor Is Not In: On the Managed Failure of Managed Health Care," Harper's Magazine" (March 1998) Surgeon David Jacobsen states that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) offer quality care and that high-quality medical care at anaffordable price is not only possible under managed care, it is a reality. Pediatrician and author Ronald J. Glasser argues that managed care companies care more for profits than for people.ISSUE 2. Should Health Care for the Elderly Be Rationed? YES: Alan Williams, from "The Rationing Debate: Rationing Health Care by Age: The Case For," British Medical Journal" (March 15, 1997) NO: Patricia Lanoie Blanchette, from "Age-Based Rationing of Healthcare," Generations" (Winter 1996-1997) Professor Alan Williams contends that rationing health care in old age has some merit. He asserts that the treatment of young people should be a priority. Patricia Lanoie Blanchette, a physician and a professor of medicine and public health, argues that health care should not be rationed by ageand that age bias should be recognized and confronted.ISSUE 3. Does Employer-Based Health Insurance Provide Adequate Coverage for Most Americans? YES: William S. Custer, Charles N. Kahn III, and Thomas F. Wildsmith IV, from "Why We Should Keep the Employment-Based Health Insurance System," Health Affairs" (November/December 1999) NO: Uwe E. Reinhardt, from "Employer-Based Health Insurance: A Balance Sheet," Health Affairs" (November/December 1999) Insurance and policy analysts William S. Custer, Charles N. Kahn III, and Thomas F. Wildsmith IV assert that the employment-based healthcare system in the United States offers a solid, proven foundation on which to base any reform, and that attempts to break the link between employmentand health insurance coverage may greatly increase the number of uninsured Americans. Economist Uwe E. Reinhardt counters that, overall, the benefits of an employer-based health insurance system are outweighed by the problems, and that a new system could ultimately replace the current system. ISSUE 4. Is the Pharmaceutical Industry Responsible for the High Cost of Prescription Drugs? YES: Christopher F. Koller, from "Prescription for Trouble: Why Drug Prices Keep Exploding," Commonweal" (June 15, 2001) NO: Ronald Bailey, from "Goddamn the Pusher Man," Reason" (April 2001) Christopher F. Koller, CEO of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, a health plan serving Medicaid enrollees based in Providence, asserts that the pharmaceutical industry has achieved its rapid growth by political protection and by exploiting the vulnerabilities of patients. Ronald Bailey, science correspondent for Reason" magazine, states that spending on prescriptions is rising rapidly because Americans are buying more drugs. Bailey maintains that the drug companies have actually enriched the quality of our lives.PART 2. Health and Society ISSUE 5. Is Drug Testing Vital to the Workplace? YES: William F. Current, from "Cut Costs and Increase Safety With Pre-Employment Drug Testing," Occupational Hazards" (July 2002) NO: Jacob Sullum, from "Urine-Or You're Out," Reason" (November 2002) William F. Current, president of WFC & Associates, a national consulting firm specializing in drug-free workplace policies, states that pre-employment drug testing is accepted by employees, hassle free, and beneficial to employers. Jacob Sullum, senior editor of Reason" magazine, argues that employment-based drug testing is insulting to employees and mostly irrelevant to future job performance.ISSUE 6. Should Doctors Ever Help Terminally Ill Patients to Commit Suicide? YES: Richard T. Hull, from "The Case For Physician-Assisted Suicide," Free Inquiry" (Spring 2003) NO: Margaret Somerville, from "The Case Against Physician-Assisted Suicide," Free Inquiry" (Spring 2003) Richard T. Hull, professor emeritus of philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, asserts that physician-assisted suicide is the only resource terminally ill patients have with which to communicate that their end-of-life care is inadequate. Margaret Somerville, Gale Professor of Law and professor in the faculty of medicine at the McGill University Centre for Medicine, Ethics, and Law in Montreal, Canada, argues that basic reasons to oppose euthanasia include the sanctity of human life and the harms and risks to individuals and to society. Somerville contends that these reasons outweigh any possible benefits. ISSUE 7. Should the Government Regulate the Sale, Advertisement, and Distribution of Junk Food? YES: Marion Nestle and Michael F. Jacobson, from "Halting the Obesity Epidemic: A Public Health Policy Approach," Public Health Reports" (January/February 2000) NO: Michelle Cottle, from "Heavy Duty," The New Republic" (May 13, 2002) Professor of nutrition Marion Nestle and Michael F. Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, argue that a public health approach is needed to encourage Americans to eat a healthy diet. Writer Michelle Cottle contends that nonnutritious food should not be regulated any more than other unhealthy products. Cottle maintains that our relationships to food are too complex for the government to oversee. ISSUE 8. Should Race Play a Role in the Treatment and Study of Disease? YES: Esteban Gonzalez Burchard et al., from "The Importance of Race and Ethnic Background in Biomedical Research and Clinical Practice," The New England Journal of Medicine" (March 20, 2003) NO: Richard S. Cooper, Jay S. Kaufman, and Ryk Ward, from "Race and Genomics," The New England Journal of Medicine" (March 20, 2003) Physician Esteban Gonzalez Burchard and his colleagues contend that race should play a role in the treatment and study of disease since there is evidence that the risk of common diseases is determined by race-related genes. Medical researchers Richard S. Cooper, Jay S. Kaufman, and Ryk Ward argue that the potential for abuse is a reason to disregard race in genetic and medical studies. They also maintain that there is little evidence that the risk of most diseases is linked to race-related genes.ISSUE 9. Should Human Cloning Ever Be Permitted? YES: John A. Robertson, from "Human Cloning and the Challenge of Regulation," The New England Journal of Medicine" (July 9, 1998) NO: George J. Annas, from "Why We Should Ban Human Cloning," The New England Journal of Medicine" (July 9, 1998) Attorney John A. Robertson contends there are many benefits to cloning and that a ban on privately funded cloning research isunjustified. Attorney and medical ethicist George J. Annas argues that cloning devalues people by depriving them of their uniqueness.PART 3. Mind/Body Relationship ISSUE 10. Should Addiction to Drugs Be Labeled a Brain Disease? YES: Alan I. Leshner, from "Addiction Is a Brain Disease," Issues in Science and Technology" (Spring 2001) NO: Sally L. Satel, from "The Fallacies of No-Fault Addiction," The Public Interest" (Winter 1999) Alan I. Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, states that addiction to drugs and alcohol is not a behavioral condition but a treatable disease. Psychiatrist Sally L. Satel counters that labeling addiction as a chronic and relapsing brain disease is propaganda. Satel asserts that most addicts are the instigators of their own addiction.ISSUE 11. Is Stress Responsible for Disease? YES: Editors of Harvard Health Letter", from "Can Stress Make You Sick?" Harvard Health Letter" (April 1998) NO: Christopher Caldwell, from "The Use and Abuse of Stress," The Weekly Standard" (June 2, 1997) The editors of the Harvard Health Letter" maintain that there is evidence that individuals who are chronically stressed possess anincreased risk of cancer and heart disease. Writer Christopher Caldwell argues that no one, including doctors, can come to an agreement on what stress is, so stress can not be blamedas the cause of disease. ISSUE 12. Can Spirituality Overcome Illness? YES: Herbert Benson and Marg Stark, from Timeless Healing: The Power and Biology of Belief" (Scribner, 1996) NO: William B. Lindley, from "Prayer and Healing," Truth Seeker" (vol. 122, no. 2, 1995) Herbert Benson, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and journalist Marg Stark contend that faith and spiritualitywill enhance and prolong life. William B. Lindley, associate editor of Truth Seeker", counters that there is no scientific way to determine that spirituality canheal.PART 4. Sexuality and Gender Issues ISSUE 13. Does Abortion Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer? YES: American Association of ProLife Obstetricians and Gynecologists, from "AAPLOG Statement on Induced Abortion and the Subsequent Risk of Breast Cancer," Issues in Law and Medicine" (2002) NO: Joyce Arthur, from "Abortion and Breast Cancer: A Forged Link," The Humanist" (March/April 2002) The American Association of ProLife Obstetricians and Gynecologists state that for any woman already pregnant, choosing abortion will leave her with a greater long-term risk of breast cancer than she would have if she were to complete her pregnancy. Joyce Arthur, editor of the Canadian newsletter Pro-Choice Press and abortion rights activist, contends that the assertion that having an abortion significantly increases a woman's risk of breast cancer is deceptive and false.ISSUE 14. Does Health Care Delivery and Research Benefit Men at the Expense of Women? YES: Gayle Feldman, from "Women Are" Different," Self" (July 1997) NO: Sally L. Satel, from "Sick Sisters: How Feminist Politics Is Warping Medicine," The American Enterprise" (April/May 2001) Health and medical reporter Gayle Feldman contends that most disease research is done almost exclusively on men, yet the results of these studies have been extrapolated to draw conclusions concerning women and disease. Psychiatrist Sally L. Satel argues that the feminist political agenda has inaccurately asserted that women are second-class subjects in the world of medicine.PART 5. Public Health Issues ISSUE 15. Is Gun Control a Public Health Issue? YES: Josh Sugarmann, from "Reverse Fire," Mother Jones" (January/February 1994) NO: Don B. Kates, Henry E. Schaffer, and William C. Waters IV, from "Public Health Pot Shots: How the CDC Succumbed to the Gun 'Epidemic,'" Reason" (April 1997) Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center, an education foundation that researches firearm violence and advocates guncontrol, argues that guns increase the costs of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and lost wages, making them a serious public health issue. Attorney Don B. Kates, professor of genetics Henry E. Schaffer, and William C. Waters IV, a physician, counter that most gun-relatedviolence is caused by aberrants, not ordinary gun owners.ISSUE 16. Should Parents Be Allowed to Opt Out of Vaccinating Their Children? YES: Barbara Loe Fisher, from "Should Parents Be Allowed to Opt Out of Vaccinating Their Kids? Yes," Insight on the News" (April 24, 2000) NO: Steven P. Shelov, from "Should Parents Be Allowed to Opt Out of Vaccinating Their Kids? No," Insight on the News" (April 24, 2000) Barbara Loe Fisher, cofounder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, states that parents should have the right to make informed, voluntary decisions about vaccination and that the government should not have the right to force the issue. Pediatrician Steven P. Shelov maintains that it would be poor public health philosophy and practice to consider not immunizing children against infectious diseases. ISSUE 17. Does Anabolic Steroid Use Cause Serious Health Problems for Athletes? YES: Steven Ungerleider, from "Steroids: Youth at Risk," The Harvard Mental Health Letter" (May 2001) NO: Dayn Perry, from "Pumped-Up Hysteria," Reason" (January 2003) Clinical psychologist Steven Ungerleider asserts that anabolic steroids are dangerous to the health of athletes and should not be used. Freelance writer Dayn Perry states that the health risks of anabolic steroids are greatly exaggerated and that they pose limited harm to athletes.ISSUE 18. Is Marijuana Dangerous and Addictive? YES: Eric A. Voth, from "Should Marijuana Be Legalized as a Medicine? No, It's Dangerous and Addictive," The World & I" (June 1994) NO: Ethan A. Nadelmann, from "Reefer Madness 1997: The New Bag of Scare Tactics," Rolling Stone" (February 20, 1997) Eric A. Voth, medical director of Chemical Dependency Services at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, Kansas, argues that marijuana producesmany adverse effects and that its effectiveness as a medicine is supported only by anecdotes. Ethan A. Nadelmann, director of the Lindesmith Center, a New York drug policy research institute, asserts that government officials continueto promote the myth that marijuana is harmful and leads to the use of hard drugs. He states that the war on marijuana is being fought for purelypolitical, not health, reasons.PART 6. Consumer Health ISSUE 19. Does Multiple-Chemical Sensitivity Pose a Serious Health Threat? YES: Paul Yanick, Jr., from "Multiple Chemical Sensitivity: Understanding Causative Factors," Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients" (January 2001) NO: Stephen Barrett, from "MCS: Mis-Concern Serious," Priorities for Health" (vol. 11, no. 1, 1999) Journalist Paul Yanick, Jr. states that a condition known as multiple-chemical sensitivity is becoming one of our greatest health challenges. Psychiatrist Stephen Barrett argues that multiple-chemical sensitivity is an ill-defined problem and that no scientific test has ever provided evidence that it has an organic basis. ISSUE 20. Is the Atkins Low-Carbohydrate Diet a Valid Weight-Loss Plan? YES: Gary Taubes, from "What If It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?" The New York Times Magazine" (July 7, 2002) NO: Michael Fumento, from "Big Fat Fake: The Atkins Diet Controversy and the Sorry State of Science Journalism," Reason" (March 2003) Journalist Gary Taubes asserts that eating fatty meats, cheeses, cream, and butter is the key to a long, healthy life. Michael Fumento, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, argues that there are ample studies that dispute the benefits of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. ISSUE 21. Should Alternative Medicine Be Combined With Conventional Medicine? YES: Andrew Weil, from "Is Integrative Medicine the Medicine of the Future?" A Debate Between Arnold S. Relman, MD, and Andrew Weil, MD, Archives of Internal Medicine" (October 11, 1999) NO: Arnold S. Relman, from "Is Integrative Medicine the Medicine of the Future?" A Debate Between Arnold S. Relman, MD, and Andrew Weil, MD, Archives of Internal Medicine" (October 11, 1999) Andrew Weil, director of the University of Arizona Program on Integrative Medicine, asserts that alternative medicine helps patients and should be incorporated into conventional medical practices. Physician and editor Arnold S. Relman argues that integrating alternative healing with conventional medicine would be a step backward and would not improve medical care.
