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Distributive Justice

Meaning

Distributive justice, within the domain of clinical practice and public health, is the ethical principle mandating the fair and equitable allocation of societal benefits and burdens, particularly scarce healthcare resources. This concept requires that access to essential medical interventions, including specialized hormonal therapies and diagnostic testing, must be governed by criteria of need, rather than purely economic or social privilege. Clinicians and healthcare systems have a moral obligation to consider this principle to ensure fairness in treatment access.