9781422280768

Many worry that health problems may be caused by substances like lead and other poisons in fuel, crop pesticides, antibiotics fed to farm animals, genetically modified foods, mobile-phone transmiƒers, long-distance air travel, living near electricity pylons, and many other factors. We can control some of these ourselves—for example, by living in safer locations or not smoking—but others are beyond our control as individuals, and we need our government to act on our behalf. CITIZENS AND HEALTH CARE Why should you worry about health care issues? If you are not ill and your family has no health problems, it may seem unimportant to you. But most of us need medical aƒention at some point in our lives, and it is in all of our interests to help protect the health of society as a whole. Health care is not just an issue when we are ill. How we live our lives affects our health and that of others. Thus, we can all contribute to global health care. In many areas of life, we have to balance the needs of different people groups. Medical care presents various problems of this type. Is it beƒer to spend limited funds on prolonging the life of

SIDEBAR

THE LAW MEDICINE AND FLIGHTS

Often, it becomes obvious that there is a health risk only when people start to suffer. Medical issues then spill over into legal issues. Some airplane passengers who suffered blood clots believed that their problems were caused by sitting in cramped airplane seats for long periods of time. They sued the airlines for this. Some relatives of passengers who have died are trying to get compensation as well. Is it fair to blame an airline when passengers have opportunities to stand up and move during a flight?

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