Answer — Exercise 2

Case 1

• 15, secondary school student, attends private girls' school
• wants plastic surgery to change the shape of her nose; says she feels strong peer pressure to look attractive; believes her appearance will affect her career prospects
• don't think her nose is a problem, and think she should wait until she is 21, as she may feel differently then; will pay for the surgery if doctors recommend it
• Should she have surgery to change her nose before she is 21?

Case 2

• 6, parents separated, two siblings, lives with his mother
• diagnosed with ADHD, for which he has been prescribed a new drug wants her son to take the drug, as his problem is affecting his life both at home and at school, where he is falling behind
• doesn't want his son to take the drug, saying he just needs a more disciplined school, and to play outside more instead of playing computer games indoors
• Should he start taking the drug?

Case 3

• early 60s, lifelong smoker, retired school secretary
• has a life-threatening illness, needs expensive surgery and medication treating her does not represent value for money, as she is shortening her life through smoking anyway
• she has paid her taxes all her working life, and her illness isn't directly linked to smoking: she is well enough to undergo surgery because, with an ageing population, healthcare is getting more and more expensive and choices have to be made
• Should she be treated at the taxpayer's expense?