KIE: Carson, a teacher of medical ethics, agrees with the point made by Ian Kennedy during the BBC's 1980 Reith Lectures that modern medicine does not meet the needs of society. However, Carson criticizes what he sees as Kennedy's overly utilitarian approach and inadequate concern for the protection of individual freedom. Carson argues for emphasizing a physician patient relationship based on informed consent and its resultant bond of trust. Development of this relationship can be fostered by public education and by a greater emphasis on the humanities in medical education.