Ethics in Medicine

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that the practice of modern medicine often entails dealing with ethical dilemmas. The paper then focuses on three ethical theories, the feminist (or care-based) ethic, Kantian ethics and utilitarian ethics, and applies them to a specific case where a patient has expressed her specific wishes not to notify her family about her medical condition. The paper explains why according to all these theories, the doctor is prohibited from divulging any of her medical information to anyone without her consent.

Outline:
Introduction
Feminist Ethical Analysis
Kantian Analysis
Utilitarian Analysis
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The practice of modern medicine often entails dealing with ethical dilemmas. Where those decisions are not dictated by law, it is up to the practitioner to make the best possible choice. Sometimes, the issue makes that decision easy; other times, no ideal choice is possible under the circumstances. Bioethics requires the practitioner to consider all reasonable options and to make a good faith attempt to weigh them in a logically sound manner. The problem is that, unlike medicine, "Ethics is not a science; it is an art that requires every ounce of moral imagination, emotion, and thoughtthat we can muster." (Tong 2007)"

Sample of Sources Used:

• Levine, C. (2007) Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Bioethical Issues. 12th Ed.
• Tong, R. (2007) New Perspectives in Health Care Ethics: An Interdisciplinary and Cultural Approach.

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• Term Paper # 90592 : "Ethics, Religion and The Issue of Abortion in Medicine"

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