Pekka Louhiala

This is the first book that covers comprehensively the difficult ethical issues involved in prevention of intellectual disability (learning disability, mental retardation). These issues are discussed both practically and theoretically in the light of four case examples drawn from real life. The cases demonstrate various issues raised by the concept of preventing intellectual disability, including definition, epidemiology, screening, and genetic counselling. Two major approach models (reproductive autonomy and public health) are scrutinised, and the practical issues of prevention are examined closely with respect to three syndromes (Down, Fragile X, and Aspartylugosaminuria). The question ‘Why should intellectual disability be prevented?’ is examined thoroughly at each stage. As a paediatrician and a philosopher, Dr Louhiala presents the issues in a way that is both user-friendly and philosophically sound.

This third volume in the Companion to Medical Humanities series considers the concept of treatment as an active process which produces an outcome, be it effective, inappropriate or inadequate. It invites the reader to examine the relevance of the patients' belief in any given treatment and their confidence in the practitioner. Against a person-centred backdrop, it investigates boundaries, and reflects on the practical demands on a health care system limited in its resources, where the price of choice for one may be the restriction of service for the other. It also questions the supposed contrasts between treatment and cure, redefining the meaning of care in daily practice. It offers inspirational reading for all academics and professionals with an interest in the medical humanities, as well as researchers in philosophy of medicine and medical ethics. CPD with Radcliffe. This book can be used to achieve CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points through directed reading. We provide a free online form, and downloadable certificate for your appraisal portfolio. For more information and to claim CPD points on this book, visit www.radcliffehealth.com/cpd

Kalle Kalliola syntyi kyläsepän esikoisena Kataloisten kylässä Lammilla Kanta-Hämeessä vuonna 1887. Hänen opettajansa kiinnitti huomiota lahjakkaaseen sekä opinhaluiseen poikaan ja kannusti häntä musiikin pariin ja myöhemmin pyrkimään Jyväskylän opettajaseminaariin. Kalle päätyi Hämeenlinnaan ja toimi siellä opettajana yli neljäkymmentä vuotta. Työuransa ohella hän toimi aktiivisesti luottamustehtävissä ja musiikkielämässä. Musiikki olikin Kallelle "toinen elämä". Kalle kuoli syöpään vuonna 1966 ja jätti jälkeensä laajan kirjallisen aineiston, joka koostuu vuosikirjoista, tilikirjoista, lehtikirjoituksista, käsikirjoituksista, puheista ja kirjeenvaihdosta. Niistä piirtyy kuva poikkeuksellisesta miehestä, joka sai aikaan paljon, oli monella tavalla sosiaalinen, mutta koki samalla raastavaa yksinäisyyttä. Kirja perustuu tähän jäämistöön sekä kirjoittajan tekemiin haastatteluihin ja arkistotutkimukseen. "Kalle Kalliola oli minulle Vaari, joka kuoli, kun olin yhdeksänvuotias. Omia muistikuvia on paljonkin, mutta tutustuminen Vaarin elämään hänen kirjallisen jäämistönsä kautta on avannut aivan uudella ja rikkaalla tavalla näkökulmia sekä Vaarin elämään että laajemminkin hänen aikaansa. Monesti olen aineiston äärellä hämmästellyt, joskus nauranut ja liikuttunutkin."

Kirjassa käsitellään kahta toisiaan muistuttavaa käsitettä: plaseboa ja plasebovaikutusta. Kirjassa selvennetään käsitteiden välisiä merkitys- ja tulkintaeroja, murretaan tulkintoihin liittyviä myyttejä sekä havainnollistetaan, kuinka plasebovaikutukset ovat pohjimmiltaan kaiken hoidon ytimessä.

This book provides a perspective on the concepts placebo and placebo effects, which has been missing so far: a detailed analysis of the history of the terms, their current use, suggested alternatives and the implications of the conceptual confusion. Everybody knows something about placebos and placebo effects. If, however, people are asked to define the concepts, the spectrum becomes wide. Does 'placebo' refer to an inert treatment or does it cover all elements of the patient-physician-interaction except for pharmacological or other physiological mechanisms? Furthermore, if, by definition, a placebo has no effect, what sense does it make to talk about a 'placebo effect'? Even in scientific literature the concepts ‘placebo’ and ‘placebo effect’ are used in many senses and often in a confusing way. While this book discusses many issues which keep puzzling physicians, it also covers the historical developments of the concepts of placebo and placebo effect as wellas the conceptual confusion in the definitions. This book is intended for physicians, philosophers, psychologists and any other people interested in placebos, placebo effects and the physician-patient relationship.

With the advances of medicine, questions of medical ethics have become more urgent and are now considered of great social and political significance. An innovatively designed, activity-based workbook, this text was prepared using papers and case studies collected from several countries in the European Union. It reflects the issues and concerns that confront clinical practitioners throughout Europe and elsewhere today and presents varying national responses in law and policy to these concerns, as identified by ethicists, lawyers, theologians and practitioners. The problems they examine include the relationship between medical research and medical practice, elementary regulations of medical research, the complexity of informed consent, and the role of the sponsor or scientific community.