# Health Technologies and Impermissible Delays: The Case of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis

## TL;DR

The paper argues that we should adopt certain health technologies, like Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, even without full evidence of their effectiveness in non-emergency settings.

## Contribution

Introduces the Ecumenical Principle as a moral justification for adopting health technologies with limited evidence in non-emergency contexts.

## Key findings

- The Ecumenical Principle supports the use of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis in mammographic screening despite incomplete evidence.
- The principle can guide the adoption of other new health technologies beyond the test case.
- Moral obligations may override the need for complete evidence in non-emergency healthcare settings.

## Abstract

This paper argues that we have a moral obligation to implement certain health technologies even if we have limited or incomplete evidence of their effectiveness. The focus is on technologies used in non-emergency settings, as opposed to “exceptional cases” such as compassionate use and emergency approvals during public health emergencies. A broadly plausible moral principle – the Ecumenical Principle – is introduced and applied to a test case: the use of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis in mammographic screening. The paper concludes by exploring the implications of the Ecumenical Principle for the adoption of other new health technologies.