Typical and atypical mental disorders: Moral implications for academic–industry collaborations

This chapter draws on cognitive–affective science findings about categorization in order to contrast more typical disorders with more atypical disorders. It focuses on a few atypical mental disorders (substance use disorders, pathological gambling) as key exemplars. Some moral implications for individual and public healthcare are considered, with a focus on the ethics of collaborations between clinicians and those involved in industry. Collaborations between academic institutions and industry partners raise the potential for conflicts of interest and other problems. The pharmaceutical industry is sometimes viewed as a ‘good’ industry that can go wrong, while the tobacco industry is viewed as a ‘bad’ industry that can do no right. The alcohol and gambling industries present a continuum of benefits and harms that needs to be acknowledged, and there are important opportunities for these industries to do more good for those suffering from or at risk for substance use and related conditions.