Biomedical Ethics

by Glannon, Walter

• ISBN13: 9780195144314
• ISBN10: 0195144317
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-07-22
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Today, advances in medicine and biotechnology occur at a rapid pace and have a profound impact on our lives. Mechanical devices can sustain an injured person's life indefinitely. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the body and brain can reveal disordersbefore symptoms appear. Genetic testing of embryos can predict whether people will have diseases earlier or later in life. It may even become possible to clone human beings. These and other developments raise difficult ethical questions. Biomedical Ethics is an engaging philosophical introduction to the most important ethical positions and arguments in six areas of biomedicine: the patient-doctor relationship, medical research on humans, reproductive rights and technologies, genetics, medical decisions at the end of life, andthe allocation of scarce medical resources. Concisely capturing the historical, contemporary, and future-oriented aspects of the field, author Walter Glannon discusses both perennial issues in medicine, such as doctors' duties to patients, and recent and emerging issues in scientific innovation,including gene therapy and cloning. Ideal for undergraduate courses in contemporary moral problems, introduction to ethics, and introduction to bioethics, Biomedical Ethics is accessible to students who have little or no background in ethical theory, medicine, or biotechnology.

Author Biography

Walter Glannon is Canada Research Chair in Medical Bioethics and Ethical Theory at the University of Calgary, where he is Associate Professor in the Departments of Philosophy and Community Health Sciences.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	ix
1 History and Theories	1	(22)
Introduction
The Need for Theories
Consequentialism and Deontology
Virtue Ethics and Feminist Ethics
Communitarianism and Liberalism
The Rejection of Theories: Casuistry and Cultural Relativism
Conclusion
Selected Readings
2 The Patient-Doctor Relationship	23	(24)
Introduction
Informed Consent
Therapeutic Privilege
Confidentiality
Cross-Cultural Relations
What Sort of Doctors Do We Need?
Conclusion
Selected Readings
3 Medical Research on Humans	47	(24)
Introduction
Design of Clinical Trials
Equipoise, Randomization, and Placebos
Problems with Consent Vulnerable Populations
Protections and Justice
Conclusion
Selected Readings
4 Reproductive Rights and Technologies	71	(24)
Introduction
Abortion
The Moral Status of Embryos
Surrogate Pregnancy
Sex Selection
Cloning
Conclusion
Selected Readings
5 Genetics	95	(24)
Introduction
Genetic Testing and Screening
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
Gene Therapy
Genetic Enhancement
Eugenics
Conclusion
Selected Readings
6 Medical Decisions at the End of Life	119	(24)
Introduction
Defining Death
Withdrawing and Withholding Treatment
Double Effect
Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide
Futility
Conclusion
Selected Readings
7 Allocating Scarce Medical Resources	143	(24)
Introduction
Setting Priorities
Quality-Adjusted Life-Years
Age-Based Rationing
Organ Transplantation
Two-Tiered Health Care
Conclusion
Selected Readings
INDEX	167