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M A de Wachter

Publications and source records attributed to M A de Wachter.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

How useful is Leuven personalism in the world of bioethics? The test case of artificial insemination.

Personalism in ethics denotes any system based upon the value of the person. Several versions of personalist morals have been developed over the past 50 years. Some have had particular interest in the field of medical ethics. Here the question is being studied about one such system, the so-called Leuven personalist morals and its usefulness in today's world of bioethics. In order to test the usefulness of this system the case of artificial insemination is examined both in the early 1970s in the context of the Leuven clinics and, subsequently, in the 1990s in a US policy document. The investigation reveals strengths and weaknesses of this personalism. Regarding AID it reveals unresolved oppositions. The conclusion seems to be that this personalism had, no doubt, a profound impact upon medical ethics within its own circle but, as regards the universal usefulness of the system, serious doubts remain.

Bioethics↗

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Health Services↗

Active euthanasia in The Netherlands.

Active euthanasia in the Netherlands remains a topic for both professional and public debate. However, many aspects of the medical practice of active euthanasia remain unclear, and no figures on the actual incidence of this practice exist. Legally, active euthanasia is a criminal offense, but a pattern of jurisprudence has developed since the first court case in 1973 that has allowed physicians to practice euthanasia under certain strict conditions. Two proposals, one from the Royal Dutch Medical Association and one from a government-appointed state commission, have advised that the current law be changed. While the debate continues, a number of Dutch institutions have developed procedures and policies to enable physicians and health care providers to participate in active euthanasia in an acceptable and controllable manner. However, many Dutch physicians remain uncomfortable with the professional and public tolerance of this practice.

Advisory Committees↗

Is death and dying merely an ethical issue?

Some people worry about the current tendency to ignore the distinction of religious and ethical issues in the area of death and dying. This article attempts to identify sources and consequences of such blending. One of the countries offering a microcosm of religious and ethical trends with regard to death and dying is the Netherlands. Issues identified in Dutch society are, therefore, being compared with similar listings in North American and European literature on death and dying. In an even more paradigmatic way the unfinished debate on the distinction between active and passive euthanasia remains representatives of a religious approach to death and dying.

Ethics, Medical↗

The European convention on bioethics.

Nearly fifteen years after the Council of Europe first called for a pan-European convention on issues in bioethics to harmonize disparate national regulations, in November 1996 the council's Committee of Ministers approved the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine for formal adoption. The draft convention, released in July 1994, provoked strong public, professional, and governmental debate among European nations, particularly regarding provisions for biomedical research with subjects unable to give informed consent. If ratified, the "bioethics convention" will become the first such document to have binding force internationally.

Bioethical Issues↗