Bioethics and public health policies in Mexico

Introduction: Bioethics, as a reference framework for collective decision-making in plural societies, represents a valuable tool for the development, implementation and evaluation of public policies in order to address structural deficiencies and contexts of vulnerability that disproportionately affect certain sectors of the population. Objective: To provide guidelines for the strengthening of actions, programs and public policies aimed at addressing the ethical dilemmas and challenges faced by health personnel. Methods: A documentary research process was carried out on the moral context faced by health personnel at the federal level. Results: Health budget programs show important gaps in their design, implementation or evaluation, which give rise to various ethical and human rights problems. Conclusions: Given the difficulty for reaching agreements or generating common understanding with regard to public health problems, bioethics contributes to a systematic approach to the challenges of the National Health System, for the safeguarding of the human rights of users, as well as of the integrity of its institutions.