Integrative oncology relates to an emerging dialog between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) scholars, oncologists, family practitioners, and other health care providers who envision an extended and holistic patient-centered approach to oncology care. The multiple commitments of integrative oncology to a medical humanistic approach and to a strong evidence-based foundation may impose considerable ethical concerns and dilemmas. The authors use narrative ethics to present a case study that exemplifies the ethical challenges confronting physicians and health care providers who wish to provide an integrative approach for their patients. An ethical analysis of the narrative is provided to help clarify the ethical issues and conflicts within it. Finally, a framework that may transform ethical constraints to a communication tool is proposed.
aComplementary and Traditional Medicine Unit, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Clalit Health Services, 6 Hashahaf Street, Haifa 35013, Israel
bDepartment of Internal Medicine, Bnai-Zion Hospital, 47 Golomb Street, Haifa 31048, Israel
cDepartment for Complementary/Integrative Medicine, Law, and Ethics, International Center for Health, Law, and Ethics, Haifa University, Har HaCarmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
dUnit for Genetic Policy and Bioethics, Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel
Corresponding author. Clalit Health Services, Haifa and Western Galilee District, 6 Hashahaf Street, Haifa 35013, Israel.
ABSTRACT