2. Ethical issues

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Ethical issues arising from health technologies have become more prominent over the last several decades. This is due to a combination of factors including:

• Increasingly complex systems for delivering increasingly complex care
• A reappraisal of the assumption that all new health technology is good
• Recognition of the difficult choices that must be made in allocating resources for health

In the field of HTA, ethical issues arise in particular in relation to the following areas:

• Use of technology
• Conduct of research
• Allocating resources