Uncertainty and experimental treatment attempts ("Individuelle Heilversuche")

In Germany, unapproved medicines can be used to treat patients at a doctor's discretion. This is called an experimental treatment attempt (ETA) or "individueller Heilversuch". ETAs may be pursued when there are no remaining treatment options, however there is a higher degree of uncertainty for ETAs than for a standard therapy.

This project has two parts:

In the theoretical-conceptual part of the project, we discuss uncertainty as an ethically relevant characteristic of new medical interventions that has received too little attention so far in the context of ETAs. Furthermore, we examine the establishment of appropriate precautionary measures as a possible way of dealing with uncertainty.

In the empirical part, we use qualitative interview research among relevant stakeholders to determine what a successful implementation of precautionary measures in practice can look like and what opportunities and risks this would entail.