Rethinking the goals of medicine, 30 years later

This year, the annual conference of the Víctor Grífols i Lucas Foundation, within the framework of the Josep Egozcue Lecture Series, focuses on revisiting the document “The Goals of Medicine,” produced by the Hastings Center thirty years ago. This text proposed a profound shift in the foundations of medical practice, moving beyond the traditional aims of curing and prolonging life to include prevention, health promotion, the relief of suffering, care for chronic conditions, and the pursuit of a dignified death. It also emphasized the need to transform the clinical relationship, moving away from paternalism and strengthening individuals’ autonomy.

Thirty years later, and coinciding with four decades of the welfare state, the conference aims to rethink these goals in light of the social, cultural, and structural changes in the healthcare and social systems. Drawing on the four pillars of the Hastings Center document, it proposes a collective reflection on the current situation and the future horizons of healthcare practice, addressing both long-standing unresolved challenges and new emerging issues in the field of bioethics.