This clear, accessible text/reference explores the full range of contemporary issues in health care ethics from a practical wisdom philosophical perspective. The authors present the fundamental concerns of modern medical ethics-autonomy, beneficence, justice, and confidentiality-then provide analysis, cases, and insights from professional literature to develop problems. Principles are applied directly to cases, and many examples are used to illustrate issues. Throughout, the discussion starts with larger issues or concepts and principles and then focuses on specific problems or complications.

PREFACE

 

PRINICIPLES OF HEALTH CARE ETHICS

 

1.       ETHICS, PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, AND HEALTH CARE ETHICS

Theories of Ethics

Key issues

Applied Ethics

The Professions and Professional Ethics

The Health Care Professions

Summary

 

2.      PRINCIPLES OF AUTONOMY AND INFORMED CONSENT

General Formulation

Patient Autonomy: Informed Consent

Paternalism: Weak and Strong

The Consent of Children, Adolescents, and Incompetent Patients

Exceptions in Emergencies

The Right to Refuse Treatment

Problems Areas

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

3.       PRINCIPLES OF BENEFICENCE AND NONMALEFICENCE

Introduction

Specifications of Beneficence

Specifications of Nonmaleficence

The Patient’s Obligation

The Health Care Provider’s Obligation

The Surrogate’s Obligation

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

4.       THE ETHICS OF DISTRIBUTION

Introduction

A Definition of Health and Disease

Theories and Their Limits

Microallocation: Individual and Institutional Rationing

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

5.       PRINCIPLES OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND TRUTHFULNESS

Introduction

Truthfulness

Confidentiality

Summary

Cases for Analysis

                               

PROBLEMS OF HEALTH CARE ETHICS

 

6.       PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND INSTITUTIONAL ETHICS

Introduction

Judging Quality

The Obligation to Police

Institutional Ethics

Ethics Committees

Competition and Institutional Ethics

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

7.       ETHICAL PROBLEMS OF DEATH AND DYING

Introduction

Ethics of the Patient

Health Care Providers and the Ethics of the Death of a Patient

Physician Initiatives

Cooperation with Active Suicide and Euthanasia

Surrogates and the Termination of Treatment

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

8.       ABORTION AND MATERNAL-FETAL CONFLICT

Introduction

Does the Fetus Have Rights: U.S. Law

The Definition and Types of Abortion

The Moral Status of the Fetus

The Autonomy of the Pregnant Woman

The Ethics of Abortion as a Social Phenomenon

Abortion and the Health Care Provider

Maternal_Fetal Conflict

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

9.       NEW METHODS OF REPRODUCTION

Introduction

Artificial Insemination and the General Problem of Assisted Reproduction

In Vitro Fertilization

Surrogate Mothers

The Charge of Artificiality

The Ethics of the Health Care Provider

A Question of Distributive Justice

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

10.    THE ETHICS OF TRANSPLANTS

Introduction

The Ethics of Organ Donation

The Ethics of the Recipient

The Ethics of the Health Care Team

The Health Care Provider’s Ethics of Distribution

The Society’s Ethics of Distribution

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

11.    THE ETHICS OF TESTING AND SCREENING

Introduction

Testing

Ethical Problems of Mass Screening

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

12.    THE ETHICS OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

Introduction

The Ethics of the Researcher

The Ethics of the User of Research Results

Fetal Research

Genetic Therapy

Cloning

Summary

Cases for Analysis

 

REFERENCES

 

INDEX