Medical Ethics

1
Medical Ethics

• Advancement in medicine creates new problems.

2
Medical Ethics

• How will the recipient of an organ be chosen?
• Who will be allowed to receive experimental
  drugs?
• How will the creation of in vitro embryos be
  ethically managed?
• Is it ethical to provide continuing
  confidentiality about AIDS patients, or should
  they be required to report their condition?
• Does a terminally ill patient have the right to
  assisted death (euthanasia)?

3
Medical Ethics

• Should people be allowed to sell organs for use
  in transplants?
• Should genetic researchers be allowed to
  transplant specific genes to create the perfect
  human being?
• Should aborted fetuses be used for research?

4
Bioethics

• This is a discipline dealing with the ethical
  implications of biological research methods and
  results, especially in medicine.

5
Bioethical Principles

• Autonomy
• Emphasizes the responsibility individuals have
  for their own lives.
• Individuals have the right to self-determination
  and to make their own decisions and choices.
• The rules for informed consent in medicine derive
  from the principle of autonomy.

6
Autonomy

• Example
• Parent respecting the privacy of a childs
  bedroom.

7
Nonmaleficence (do no harm)

• It requires individuals to not intentionally or
  directly harm upon the others
• Example
• Parent refraining from belittling a child out of
  anger

8
Beneficence Do good

• Directly helping others, acting in their best
  interests, and being a benefit to them
• It requires positive action
• Example
• Parent helping child with their homework

9
Justice Be fair

• It dictates that persons who are equals should
  qualify for equal treatment, and that resources,
  risks, and costs should be distributed equitably.
• Example
• Parent being fair between siblings.

10
Stakeholders

• Are those who are affected by or have a vested
  interest in the given situation