The Limits of Medicine and Therapeutic Strategies in the Context of COVID-19

Abstract

This study examines the limits of medicine and therapeutic strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic from a philosophical perspective, moving beyond conventional medical approaches to question the epistemological and ethical foundations of healthcare in times of global crises. It investigates the capacity of medicine to respond effectively to a worldwide pandemic in the absence of an effective treatment or vaccine during the early stages of the outbreak, while assessing whether preventive measures constitute a temporary response or a new paradigm for managing health risks. The paper also explores the impact of environmental degradation, climate change, changing lifestyles, and declining human immunity on the growing vulnerability of societies to infectious diseases and pandemics. It argues that COVID-19 exposed the limitations of medicine when acting alone and highlighted the need for an interdisciplinary approach integrating medicine, ethics, philosophy, public policy, and environmental awareness. Such an approach is essential for developing sustainable strategies of prevention, resilience, and collective responsibility in addressing future global health crises