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The case of Peggy Sue

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Journal of Medicine and the Person

Abstract

In a pluralistic society it is important that patients and health care operators be aware of each others’ beliefs and values. A value history allows the practitioners to identify the patients’ goals and desires and to provide a care congruent with these aims. In this respect the scope of a value history goes much beyond than its original intention to probe a practitioner’s standing on controversial issues such as abortion and euthanasia.. The case of Peggy Sue illustrates how the failure to take a value history may result in medically sound but humanly devastating medical treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Lodovico Balducci

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  1. Lodovico Balducci
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Correspondence to Lodovico Balducci.

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Balducci, L. The case of Peggy Sue. J Med Pers 11, 5–10 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12682-013-0146-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12682-013-0146-1

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