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Abstract
Over the last few years a bioethical debate has developed in the international journals of medicine and nursing about the use/misuse of cytotoxic drugs in oncology. This paper seeks to introduce and explain the relevance of this debate to social workers who are involved in the care of patients with a diagnosis of cancer. As an introductory paper on this topic, the focus is on creating links between this debate and social work practice.
The bioethical concern is that chemotherapy is routinely, and often inappropriately, offered for clinical reasons which do not include an adequate appreciation of the holistic needs of the patient. As any benefit from the use of these drugs is balanced by the harms of toxic side effects, such clinical practices can have important consequences for patients and their families. The sociological factors, in particular the ‘technological imperative’, driving this extensive use of cytotoxics will be examined.
