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“Give Me Enbrel™ or Give Me Death”: Confronting the Limits of Autonomy

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Dermatoethics

Abstract

A 40-year-old man presents with plaque psoriasis limited to the hairline, elbows and knees. He is troubled by the cosmetic appearance but dislikes the greasy feel of topical medications as well as the need for regular application to control the disease. He also complains of right knee pain when he jogs. His father had severe psoriasis that limited his career in public relations. He has heard about etanercept (Enbrel™, Wyeth Amgen) and adalimumab (Humira™, Abbott) in media advertisements and wants a prescription for one of these biologics because of their published efficacy and infrequent administration.

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References

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Acknowledgment

The author wishes to acknowledge the contribution of Case 1 by Thomas P. Long, M.D.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Lionel Bercovitch

Authors
  1. Lionel Bercovitch
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Correspondence to Lionel Bercovitch .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Brown University, Providence, 02912, Rhode Island, USA

    Lionel Bercovitch

  2. Brown University, Providence, 02912, Rhode Island, USA

    Clifford Perlis

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© 2012 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Bercovitch, L. (2012). “Give Me Enbrel™ or Give Me Death”: Confronting the Limits of Autonomy. In: Bercovitch, L., Perlis, C. (eds) Dermatoethics. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2191-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2191-6_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-2190-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-2191-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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