Some patients have reported that their testimonies and perspectives are ignored, dismissed, or explained away by the healthcare profession. These experiences are classified by philosophers as ‘epistemic injustices’ because, in some cases, they are based on prejudice and can jeopardise patient care and undermine trust in healthcare staff and systems.
The project, called Epistemic Injustice in Healthcare [EPIC], will include case studies from across a range of illnesses, theoretical work, events, focus groups, the creation of a network with patients and health professionals, postdoctoral positions, summer schools, and publications. The project aims to identify practical measures for the benefit of patients and healthcare practitioners alike.
The Principal Investigator, Professor Havi Carel from the University of Bristol’s Department of Philosophy, is a philosopher of medicine and an expert on the experience of illness.