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Results for “Bioethical Issues”

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At least 1,423 records · Page 79Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

The troublesome concept of the person.

In today's bioethical debates, the concept of the person plays a major role. However, it does not hold this role justly. The purpose of this paper is to argue that the concept of the person is unsuited to be a central concept in bioethical debates, because its use is connected with serious problems. First, the concept is superfluous. Secondly, it is a confusing concept and it lacks pragmatic use. Thirdly, its use leads to simplifications. Finally, the concept can easily be used as a cover-up concept. Therefore, it is argued that relinquishing the concept of the person could enhance the clarity and quality of bioethical debate. Moreover, the historic origin of much of the present confusion surrounding the concept of the person is clarified. It is demonstrated that three influences resulting from Locke's ideas on the person and personal identity can be determined as contributing factors to the confusion and controversy within the present bioethical debates centering around the person.

Beginning of Human Life↗
PubMed2001

Historical and philosophical reflections on patient autonomy.

Contemporary American medical ethics was born during a period of social ferment, a key theme of which was the espousal of individual rights. Driven by complex cultural forces united in the effort to protect individuality and self-determined choices, an extrapolation from case law to rights of patients was accomplished under the philosophical auspices of 'autonomy.' Autonomy has a complex history; arising in the modern period as the idea of self-governance, it received its most ambitious philosophical elaboration in Kant's moral philosophy. In examining the Kantian construction, it is evident that neither his universal moral imperative nor his rigorous application of self-legislated ethical action can sustain our own notions of moral agency in a pragmatic, pluralistic society. But the Kantian position is useful in highlighting that self-governance is not equivalent to 'autonomy,' and this distinction defines the limits of autonomy in the clinical setting. A critique of Engelhardt's idea of 'principle of permission' is used to illustrate autonomy's eclipse as a governing principle for medical ethics.

Bioethical Issues↗
PubMed2005

Sin and bioethics.

The essay starts out with defining the biblical concept of sin in the Old and the New Testaments. The literal knowledge of divine truth is distinguished from its truthful and spiritual interpretation. A further distinction should be made between the Creator of life (God) and the medium or "intermediary creator" (man) of life. I argue for the "single wholeness" of the human race and for the unity of human responsibility in bioethics. In delineating the teaching of the Church on abortion and family planning, I show that the healing of all human diseases, from traditional interventions to genetic ones, is a Christian duty and is in accordance with Christ's mission on earth as long as one has not been directly or indirectly involved in "reproducing" or "designing" one's descendants or destroying or damaging human life even at its very beginnings.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An unholy alliance.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Bioethical Issues↗
PubMed1994

Law and medicine.

A central legal question for the effectiveness of health system reform emerges: Is antitrust law a friend or foe of competition and cost savings? The National Organization for Women brought litigation claiming that antiabortion groups whose members block women's access to abortion clinics can be sued under the federal RICO Act.

Bioethical Issues↗
PubMed2002

Assessing the value of transgenic crops.

In the current controversy about the value of transgenic crops, matters open to empirical inquiry are centrally at issue. One such matter is a key premise in a common argument (that I summarize) that transgenic crops should be considered to have universal value. The premise is that there are no alternative forms of agriculture available to enable the production of sufficient food to feed the world. The proponents of agroecology challenge it, claiming that agroecology provides an alternative, and they deny the claim that it is well founded on empirical evidence. It is, therefore, a matter of both social and scientific importance that this premise and the criticisms of it be investigated rigorously and empirically, so that the benefits and disadvantages of transgenic-intensive agriculture and agroecology can be compared in a reliable way. Conducting adequate investigation about the potential contribution of agroecology requires that the cultural conditions of its practice (and, thus, of the practices and movements of small-scale farmers in the "third world") be strengthened--and this puts the interests of investigation into tension with the socio-economic interests driving the development of transgenics. General issues about relationship between ethical argument and empirical (scientific) investigation are raised throughout the article.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2004

Institutional ethics review of clinical study agreements.

Clinical Study Agreements (CSAs) can have profound effects both on the protection of human subjects and on the independence of investigators to conduct research with scientific integrity. Sponsors, institutions, and even investigators may fail to give adequate attention to these issues in the negotiation of CSAs. Despite the key role of CSAs in structuring ethically important aspects of research, they remain largely unregulated and unreviewed for adherence to ethical norms. Academic institutions routinely enter into research contracts that fail to meet adequate ethical standards. This is a failing that can have serious consequences. Accordingly, it is necessary that some independent body have the authority both to review research contracts for compliance with norms of subject protection and ethical integrity, and to reject studies that fail to meet ethical standards. Such review should take place prior to the start of research, not later. Because of its expertise and authority, the institutional ethics review board (IRB or REB) is the appropriate body to undertake such review. Much recent commentary has focused on contractual restrictions on the investigator's freedom to publish research findings. The Olivieri experience, and that of other investigators, has brought freedom of publication issues into sharp focus. Clinical study agreements also raise a number of other ethical issues relating to human subjects and research integrity, however, including disclosures relating to patient safety, data analysis and reporting, budget, confidentiality, and premature termination of the study. This paper describes the ethical issues at stake in structuring such agreements and suggests ethical standards to guide institutional ethics review.

Bioethical Issues↗
PubMed2003

The science of stem cells: ethical, legal and social issues.

Stem cells are exciting to physicians, scientists and patients because of their potential to develop into many different cell types, tissues and perhaps even organs that can possibly be used to treat large numbers of patients with a variety of diseases. Scientific research, while it is still at a very early stage, is developing rapidly and creating enormous challenges for ethicists and policy-makers, especially in relation to embryonic stem cells. An understanding of the scientific facts of stem cell science and technology per se, the embryology and the associated terminology is critically important to making ethically sound policy judgments. The facts, definitions and terminology are confusing and are liable to misuse by those who seek to further a particular position. In this paper we provide a concise overview of the important scientific facts related to embryology and embryonic stem cells and highlight some recent scientific developments that are salient for the purpose of understanding the ethical, legal and social issues that have arisen and will continue to arise and be debated.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

A medical ethics project for third-year medical students.

During the 1987-1988 academic year, each of the third-year students at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia were asked to prepare a case study that involved ethical issues, drawn from a clinical experience. Instructions for the studies included a brief description of ethical principles and a format for including needed information about the patient, the family, and the caregivers. A study was made of the quality of these case studies, the types of ethical issues raised, and some attitudes expressed in them. Follow-up discussion groups with faculty leaders, using these case studies, are described.

Attitude↗