Introduction to the Special Issue on Justice and Health: Different Perspectives in Different Disciplines

This introduction to the special issue on justice and health sketches four common approaches (philosophical reflection, empirical analysis of real-world situations, empirical investigation of lay persons’ perceptions of justice, and empirical inquiry on the role of justice arguments in real-world policy making) and four common specific topics addressed in this emerging field (distribution of health or well-being, access to health care, health insurance arrangements, and priority setting). We observe little fruitful collaboration or interaction between researchers working in different approaches and topics. More interdisciplinary contact would yield richer insights into the evolving inquiry on justice and health.