medical ethics essay 250 words

Medical Ethics - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Medical Ethics is a form of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a medical environment. Essays on medical ethics could delve into various ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare professionals, the principles guiding medical ethics like autonomy, beneficence, and justice, and how these principles apply in real-world clinical settings. Discussions might also cover controversial medical practices, the impact of legislation and policy on medical ethics, and the changing ethical landscape in light of technological advancements in medicine. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Medical Ethics you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Biomedical Ethics

Most advanced democratic societies provide for the right to health care. This is ensured since the entire population deserves public health protection against injury and disease. Furthermore, life security on medical issues is critical for the optimal functioning of individuals and communities. Institutions are often set up to assure individuals with no financial capability access to healthcare services. Despite not having life insurance cover, United States citizens from the poor and middle classes are afforded the right to emergency services. […]

Why is Medical Ethics Important? a Critical Analysis of End-of-Life Policies

Ethics have been long talked about in health care in the United States. Ethics suggests that every decision made has a right or wrong action. This sense of right or wrong, however, could be subjective to different experiences in one’s life. Ethics are influenced by many different factors like culture, climate, and morals (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2016). This creates grey areas in ethical policy regarding end-of-life issues. Ethics are defined as beliefs, ideas, or values that are foundations of why […]

Euthanasia: is it Ethical

While doing research on the topic of Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide, I have come to see that people have a hard time believing that this should be an option for people who have terminal illnesses. Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma and Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is The voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect […]

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Birth Control for Minors

Introduction According to the CDC, even though United States is one of the top industrial nations in the world, our nation has the most teenage pregnancies, in the latest statistics ""in 2017 a total of 194,377 babies were born to teenage mothers age 15 to 19 years old. (CDC, 2019). Unfortunately, about 50% of these teen Moms will drop out of high school and many will live in poverty. Despite these high rates of births, the question and dilemma is […]

Euthanasia Debate

The intention to deliberately help someone accelerate the death of an incurable patient, even to stop his or her suffering has never been an easy task. The ethics of euthanasia is one that has been debated over since the fourth century B.C. Euthanasia is translated from Greek as "good death" or "easy death. At first, the term referred to painless and peaceful natural deaths in old age that occurred in comfortable and familiar surroundings. Today the word is currently understood […]

Abortion Issue: Saving a Life

Abortion is a topic that is a controversial issues in the United States today. Abortion is the removal of an embryo from the female's uterus resulting to the end of pregnancy (dictionary.com). Weather abortion is legal or not women around the world have tried to end their pregnancies. Women having an abortion are jeporadizing their safety and health by self inducing or seeking illegal product. This procedure is done by a licensed healthcare professional. The procedure is done by a […]

End of Life Ethical Issues

Medical advances that are quite recent, have overshadowed it’s long held ethical belief of compassion and care. The main issue has been the appropriate use of technological advances at the end of life. Should these advances be used on every patient despite the chance of an undesired outcome? If not, what guidelines should be put into effect for the use and non-use of medical interventions during this time? This paper will address the ethical issues that guide medical practice and […]

Nursing Care for End of Life Patient

Introduction Nurses have a responsibility of talking care to end of life patents. This ranges from providing medical need to having a sensitive conversation with the patient and family members. This is because days of the dying person, more especially during the last weeks are demanding and stressful. For this reason, nurses are required to exercise a broad range of ethical values. Besides, it is this last aspect that underpins the whole nursing care towards these patients. In this way, […]

Abortion and Adoption

Abortion is not as simple as walking into a medical office and having the procedure performed. Although Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in the United States in 1973 women often have to deal with judgment from others including not only protestors but significant others and family members, choosing between abortion and adoption, emotional stress possibly from the reason they are needing an abortion, physical complications, as well as state governments trying to take away their right to have an […]

Physician Assisted Suicide: the Growing Issue of Dying with Dignity and Euthanasia

Is someone wanting to die with dignity more important than the conscience of a doctor who provides care for others? The issue of physician-assisted death can be summed up by simply saying it has a snowball effect. What starts as physician-assisted death turns into euthanizing and from there it could end up in the killing of patients without their full comprehension as to what they agreed to. The solution to this issue is accepting there is a problem and figuring […]

“The Desire for Parents”

“The desire for parents to be involved in important decisions in their children’s ` lives are understandable, however parental protectiveness could trump a person’s right to her own body and her own future.” (Valenti, 2016). According to Merriam-Webster, abortions are the termination of a pregnancy after accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus. In most scenarios, women undergo this procedure because they were not financially stable, or experienced sexual harassment in their […]

Learner Record

The suitable plan from the learning was that health officials should form a clinical ethics that has unique parameters and a district focus. For unstable it is noted that the ethics concepts have respect for authority and should express in the individual law. Each of this observation. However, it is also noted that the law can be resolved at a clinical level. The second part learned was on the clinical ethics. Clinical ethics is defined as the methodology for considering […]

Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide

Sometimes people criticize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide from what is called "pro-life" perspectives and other times from "pro-death" perspectives; each perspective has a different argument about their position and the side they are on in this debate. This paper will review some of these arguments that have been made to date, as well as some of the more recent developments in this issue (Dieterle 129). To begin with, many people argue that euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are morally acceptable because […]

Reasons for and against Telling Patients the Truth Concerning their Medical Condition

One of the reasons why it is important to tell patients the truth is the fact that lying acts as a barrier to the patient from making an informed independent decision concerning their health condition. The decisions made in this case ends up not being personally meaningful to the patient. In addition to this, it also breaks the trust that the patient has put on the doctor in the event that they find out they have been deceived about their […]

Religious Perspectives on Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

""Humans are finite. This reality does not intimidate the mature Christian. The believer recognizes the opportunity to serve others is limited but nonetheless significant. The faithful follower seeks to live a temporary life for an eternal purpose. Even dying itself can serve this end."" If only we were all mature Christians, then the approach to life and indeed to death would not be so varied and emotive. The reality is mature Christians are in the minority and death is either […]

Addiction Specialist Calls out Alcoholics Anonymous – is he being Fair?

When Dr. Smith and Bill Wilson started Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) back in 1935, no one anticipated it would turn into the juggernaut it eventually became. AA threw struggling alcoholics a lifeline, and over the past 80 years tens of millions have grabbed it and held on for dear life. But are 12-Step programs like AA really effective against alcoholism? Dr. Lance Dodes, a psychiatrist who specializes in treatment for substance abuse, claims most emphatically that they are not. His critique […]

Drinking United States

Almost 90 percent of adults in the United States report that they drink alcohol at some point in their life. Over half have been reported that they have been drinking in this past month. Many people use alcohol to relax, socialize, celebrate, and sometimes to enjoy a meal. Alcohol is one of the biggest parts of our society. But people do not know or understand the consequences that come with drinking it. The most commonly used addictive substance in the […]

Legalizing Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia for a Dignified End

Every day in the United States, Americans are exposed to society's arguments concerning issues about our right to make our own choices in life-changing decisions. We often hear about gay marriage rights and abortion rights but rarely does physician-assisted suicide get a voice. Not because it isn't happening but because death is often viewed as a taboo subject and becomes even more so if it is a matter of death by suicide. Understanding Physician-Assisted Suicide As stated on the website, […]

The Importance of Code of Ethics in Nursing: Virtue Ethics and Beneficenc

The Importance of Virtue Ethics and Beneficence in Nursing It is often said that it takes a certain kind of person to become a nurse. They must be well-rounded, flexible, and ready for anything. A day in the life of a nurse is filled with critical thinking, tough conversations, moral dilemmas, and the selfless act of caring for others. Virtue ethics is a way of living that focuses on developing good character traits and always doing what the person believes […]

Personal Values and Beliefs in the Nursing Profession

There is more to nursing than just treating an illness; it is driven to bring optimal patient care that focuses on the needs of each patient as an individual. Patient values should be honored by providing compassionate and holistic care, which will be done to the best of my ability when I am a nurse. My Philosophy Towards Nursing This philosophy is derived from the values and beliefs of being respectful, empathetic, compassionate, and a longing desire to care for […]

Should Euthanasia be Legalized in Canada: Compassion Versus Moral Quandaries

Alright, folks, buckle up because we're diving headfirst into one of the hottest debates in the Great White North: Should euthanasia be given the green light? Yeah, it's a touchy topic that's got Canadians divided faster than you can say "double-double." The whole deal is about giving people the choice to decide when they've had enough pain and suffering and want peace. A storm is brewing in this ethical teacup, with folks throwing down some serious arguments on both sides. […]

Importance of Ethics in Healthcare: Safeguarding Trust and Humanity at the Heart of Healing

Healthcare is not merely about treating diseases or alleviating pain, it is intrinsically tied to our shared humanity, touching upon the core of what it means to be human. At the heart of this profession lies a set of moral principles and values that ensure the well-being of patients and promote trust. This set of principles is broadly referred to as healthcare ethics. Defining Healthcare Ethics Ethics in healthcare can be distilled into several core tenets, each of which plays […]

6 Million Americans Looking to Adopt Kids

6 million americans looking to adopt kids out of about 318.6 million that were in the US at the time.There is even a law that is “a guarantee of certain areas or zones of privacy”,and that is written in the US constitution it means we shouldn't make a law that limits a woman's choices it would completely go against the constitution basic principles of life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness,but if your ok with breaking the rule book for our […]

The Ethical Fabric of Nursing: Guiding Principles

In the dynamic world of healthcare, nursing stands out as a profession uniquely woven with compassion, duty, and moral responsibility. At the heart of this intricate tapestry are the ethical principles that guide nurses in their daily practices, ensuring that the care they provide is both effective and humane. These principles not only underscore the importance of patient welfare but also highlight the delicate balance nurses must maintain in navigating complex healthcare scenarios. One of the cornerstones of nursing ethics […]

The Controversial Legacy of Dr. Jack Kevorkian

Doctor Jack Kevorkian, often imposed till Death of "Doctor," stands, how one of the most polarizing figures in modern anamnesis. His career and actions sparkled intensive debates above ethics of euthanasia and to lekarz-pomóg? suicide. Defence of Kevorkian for a right to die, together with his simple bringing in to death incurably sick patients, has deeply influenced on discussions about the vital caring. Then bottoms of essay are in the motives of Kevorkian, methods, and his more wide values of […]

The “Do no Harm” Oath: its Origins and Modern Relevance

The expression "do no harm" is frequently linked with the Hippocratic Oath, a foundational manuscript in the sphere of medicine. Albeit the precise verbiage "do no harm" does not overtly manifest in the original text, the essence is central to the moral practice of medicine. The principle is derived from the Latin phrase "primum non nocere," signifying "first, do no harm." This notion has been guiding healers for epochs, accentuating the significance of contemplating the potential injury of medical interventions […]

The Pivotal Role of HIPAA in Modern Healthcare: Protecting Privacy while Fueling Innovation

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 stands as a watershed in the annals of American healthcare, setting the precedent for patient privacy and data protection. Its profound influence is felt not only in the realm of healthcare but also in the seamless integration of technology within this sector, creating a landscape where patient trust and innovative medical technology thrive together. HIPAA: A Beacon of Trust in Healthcare Originally conceived to enhance healthcare coverage for working Americans […]

Essay on Medical Ethics

Students are often asked to write an essay on Medical Ethics in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Medical Ethics

What is medical ethics.

Medical ethics is a set of rules that doctors and healthcare workers follow to give the best care to patients. It’s like a guide for making sure everyone is treated fairly and kindly in medical situations.

Respecting Patients

One big part of medical ethics is respecting patients. This means doctors must listen to patients, keep their information private, and let them make choices about their own health.

Doing No Harm

Doctors promise to not hurt patients. They must be careful and avoid causing any harm while trying to help. This is a very old rule in medicine, known as “do no harm.”

Medical ethics also means being fair. Doctors should treat everyone the same, no matter who they are. They must give the same high-quality care to all patients.

Staying Honest

250 words essay on medical ethics.

Medical ethics is about right and wrong in medicine. It guides doctors, nurses, and other health workers to make good choices for their patients. Imagine being sick and needing someone to trust with your health. That’s where medical ethics comes in. It helps make sure everyone is treated fairly and with respect.

Rules for Doctors

Doctors follow special rules called the Hippocratic Oath. This promise makes them agree to help patients, not harm them, and keep their information private. It’s like a secret promise to take good care of people who are sick.

Keeping Secrets

One big rule in medical ethics is privacy. This means doctors should keep what they know about your health just between you and them. It’s important because it helps you feel safe to tell your doctor everything they need to know to help you.

Choosing Fairly

Sometimes, doctors have to make tough choices, like who gets a new medicine first when there’s not enough for everyone. Medical ethics helps them decide in a way that’s fair and doesn’t pick favorites.

Respecting Choices

Patients have the right to make choices about their own health. Doctors should listen and respect what you want, even if it’s different from what they think is best. It’s like being the boss of your own body.

500 Words Essay on Medical Ethics

What are medical ethics.

Medical ethics are rules that help doctors and health workers make good choices when they care for patients. These rules are important because they guide professionals to do what is right and fair for everyone. Imagine you’re playing a game. Rules in a game help you understand what you can and cannot do. Similarly, medical ethics are like rules for doctors and nurses, telling them how to do their job well and treat patients kindly.

Respect for Patients

One big rule in medical ethics is to respect patients. This means doctors should listen to what patients want for their health. For example, if a patient doesn’t want to take a certain medicine, the doctor should respect their choice. It is also about keeping secrets. When you tell a doctor something private, they should not tell anyone else. This is called patient confidentiality.

Doing Good and Not Harming

Fairness is also a key part of medical ethics. This means that doctors should treat everyone equally. It doesn’t matter who the patient is, where they come from, or how much money they have. Everyone should get the same chance to receive good health care. Think of it like sharing toys; everyone should get a turn.

Telling the Truth

Telling the truth, also known as honesty, is very important in medical ethics. Doctors should always give clear and truthful information to their patients. If a treatment has risks, they should explain those risks. It’s like when a friend asks you if their drawing is good; you should be kind but also tell the truth if there is something they can improve.

Keeping Promises

Improving themselves and the profession.

Finally, doctors should always try to get better at what they do. They should learn new things and improve their skills. This helps them take better care of their patients. It’s similar to practicing a sport or a musical instrument; the more you practice, the better you get.

In conclusion, medical ethics are a set of rules that help doctors and health workers make the best decisions for their patients. They include respecting patients, doing good, being fair, telling the truth, keeping promises, and always trying to improve. These rules make sure that when you go to a doctor, you are treated with care, honesty, and respect.

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Cases in Medical Ethics

Student-led discussions.

A selection of medical ethics cases designed to help determine whether medicine is the correct calling for pre-medical students.

I was a Hackworth Fellow for the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. I was also a pre-medical student, and am currently attending the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. During my senior year at Santa Clara, I led discussions on medical ethics with students interested in medicine. The purpose of these discussions was two-fold. First, they were created to help bring current ethical issues onto our campus. Second, they were intended to help students who were interested in a career in the health sciences determine whether or not medicine is their correct calling. Most of the discussions followed a simple format. One to two cases were formulated for the students to read. Then I presented the students with various questions related to some of the ethical issues contained in the situations described. The following cases are the ones that I presented to the groups. Each case also has a short history and summary of the ethical issues being reviewed. The questions I asked of the students are included as well. These cases and questions are public domain, and can be re-used or modified for educational purposes. I hope that you find them useful, and that they spawn the same thoughtful enjoyment in you as they did in me.

Note: The cases were not based on specific events. However, it is possible that they share similarities with actual events. These similarities were not intended.

Autonomy essentially means "self rule," and it is a patient's most basic right. As such, it is a health care worker's responsibility to respect the autonomy of her patients. However, at times this can be difficult because it can conflict with the paternalistic attitude of many health care professionals. The following two cases address patient autonomy. The first involves the rights of an individual to decide her own fate, even against her physicians' judgments. The second case involves the rights of a parent to care for her child in the manner that she sees fit.

A woman enters the emergency room with stomach pain. She undergoes a CT scan and is diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a weakening in the wall of the aorta which causes it to stretch and bulge (this is very similar to what led to John Ritter's death). The physicians inform her that the only way to fix the problem is surgically, and that the chances of survival are about 50/50. They also inform her that time is of the essence, and that should the aneurysm burst, she would be dead in a few short minutes. The woman is an erotic dancer; she worries that the surgery will leave a scar that will negatively affect her work; therefore, she refuses any surgical treatment. Even after much pressuring from the physicians, she adamantly refuses surgery. Feeling that the woman is not in her correct state of mind and knowing that time is of the essence, the surgeons decide to perform the procedure without consent. They anesthetize her and surgically repair the aneurysm. She survives, and sues the hospital for millions of dollars. Questions for Case 1:

Do you believe that the physician's actions can be justified in any way?

Is there anything else that they could have done?

Is it ever right to take away someone's autonomy? (Would a court order make the physicians' decisions ethical?)

What would you do if you were one of the health care workers?

You are a general practitioner and a mother comes into your office with her child who is complaining of flu-like symptoms. Upon entering the room, you ask the boy to remove his shirt and you notice a pattern of very distinct bruises on the boy's torso. You ask the mother where the bruises came from, and she tells you that they are from a procedure she performed on him known as "cao gio," which is also known as "coining." The procedure involves rubbing warm oils or gels on a person's skin with a coin or other flat metal object. The mother explains that cao gio is used to raise out bad blood, and improve circulation and healing. When you touch the boy's back with your stethoscope, he winces in pain from the bruises. You debate whether or not you should call Child Protective Services and report the mother.

Questions for Case 2:

Should we completely discount this treatment as useless, or could there be something gained from it?

When should a physician step in to stop a cultural practice? (If someone answers "when it harms the child" remind that person that there is some pain in many of our medical procedures, for example, having one's tonsils removed)

Should the physician be concerned about alienating the mother and other people of her ethnicity from modern medicine?

Do you think that the physician should report the mother?

Autonomy Part 2 Maintenance of patient autonomy is one of the major ethical focuses of physicians. Therefore, a second discussion was also held that focused primarily on patient autonomy. This discussion also took a superficial look at euthanasia. For this discussion, a 58 minute video, Dax's Case (produced by Unicorn Media, for Concern for Dying ; produced by Donald Pasquella, Keith Burton ; directed by Donald Pasquella New York : Filmmakers Library, c1984) was used. The video tells the story of Dax Cowart, a man who was severely burned by an accidental propane explosion. The burns disabled Dax, and the physicians forced treatment on him. Though he survived the treatment, he still argues that he should have been allowed to refuse it so that he could die. The video is very useful; however, the videos of Dax's burn treatments are very graphic and the video should be reviewed before it is shown to a group of students.

In the video, one of the physicians says that burn patients are incompetent to make decisions when they first enter the hospital because they are in such a great deal of pain. However, patients such as Dax can be in a great deal of pain for a very long time. In such cases, what should be done to determine competence, and when should this be done?

Do you think the fact that Dax could not see a future for himself should have been taken into account when determining his competency? Could this have clouded his judgment? (He thought that he would end up on the street corner selling pencils)

Do you think that the fact that Dax was going to recover, and had the possibility of living a happy life, made not treating Dax like suicide… or murder? What if he did not have this possibility?

After his recovery, Dax attempted suicide. Should the physicians have let him die? Is it ever correct for a doctor to allow a patient to kill himself?

Do you ever think that it is correct for a physician to break a competent patient's autonomy? If so, is this one of those cases?

Do you think that in this case, that the ends justified the means?

The word "euthanasia" draws its roots from Greek meaning "good death." As it is used in this discussion, it means "the act of ending the life of a person suffering from either a terminal illness, or an incurable disease." The AMA is against physicians assisting in euthanasia. There is currently only one state in the US that allows for euthanasia, and that is Oregon, where in 1997, the "Death With Dignity Act" went into effect. Euthanasia advocates stress that it should be allowed as an extension of a person's autonomy. Those who are against euthanasia often say that it can lead to the devaluation of human life, and to a slippery slope in which the old and disabled will be killed on the whims of healthy people. We examined one case and the Oregon law to view the ethics of euthanasia.

Case One: A woman was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (the same disease that Stephen Hawking has) 5 years ago. This is a condition that destroys motor nerves, making control of movement impossible, while the mind is virtually unaffected. People with motor neurone disease normally die within 4 years of diagnosis from suffocation due to the inability of the inspiratory muscles to contract. The woman's condition has steadily declined. She is not expected to live through the month, and is worried about the pain that she will face in her final hours. She asks her doctor to give her diamorphine for pain if she begins to suffocate or choke. This will lessen her pain, but it will also hasten her death. About a week later, she falls very ill, and is having trouble breathing.

Questions for Case 1:

Does she have a right to make this choice, especially in view of the fact that she will be dead in a short while (say six hours)? Is this choice an extension of her autonomy?

Is the short amount of time she has to live ethically relevant? Is there an ethical difference between her dying in 6 hours and dying in a week? What about a year, and how do you draw this distinction?

Is the right for a patient's self-determination powerful enough to create obligations on the part of others to aid her so that she can exercise her rights? She clearly cannot kill herself. She can't move, but should someone be FORCED to help her, or to find someone to help her?

Should the money used to care for this woman be taken into account when she is being helped? Do you think that legalizing euthanasia could create conflicts of interest for the patient/ or the doctor? Will people feel that they need to end their lives earlier to save money?

Ask each student: If you were the physician, what would you do? Note: if you would pass her off to another doctor knowing he or she would do it, does this free you from you ethical obligations?

Oregon's Death With Dignity Act: We discussed the following questions pertaining to the Death With Diginity Act.

Death With Dignity Questions:

Look at the requirements for the request. Do you see any problems with them? (The woman from case 1 would not qualify.)

Why would they put in these guidelines? Should they be there, if they keep a competent person like the woman above from living her autonomy? (Is it to protect the doctors so they will not have to GIVE the medication?)

Is there a moral difference between prescribing the drug and actually giving it to the patient? If not, why put in the rules?

Why do you think they wouldn't let a person who is terminally ill and in pain with possibly more than 6 months receive assistance in dying? Say someone is diagnosed with HIV?

Does the justification of euthanasia necessarily justify the assisted suicide of a healthy person?

Do you think a weakness of this law is the probability of patients being influenced by family members? (For example, for financial or other reasons?) Note: Approximately 60% of Oregonians in 2000 said (before they died) that they used the prescription at least in some part due to fear of being a burden on their family.

The AMA says that euthanasia is fundamentally incompatible with the physician's role as healer. What do you think about this statement? Why should a physician have to be the one who does this?

Assisted Reproduction:

This is a difficult subject because it involves reproductive issues. In our culture, reproductive liberty, the freedom to decide when and where to conceive a child is highly protected, and this can make these cases much more difficult.

Case 1: There are two types of surrogacy. One type involves a surrogate mother who uses her own egg and carries the baby for someone else. The other type is a "gestational surrogacy" in which the mother has no genetic tie to the child she carries. In the case presented, a gestational surrogate is used.

A woman, after a bout with uterine cancer had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus). Before, its removal, however, she had several eggs removed for possible fertilization in the future. Now married, the woman wishes to have a child with her husband. Obviously she cannot bear the child herself, so the couple utilizes a company to find a surrogate mother for them. The husband's sperm is used to fertilize one of the wife's eggs, and is implanted in the surrogate mother. The couple pays all of the woman's pregnancy-related expenses and an extra $18,000 as compensation for her surrogacy. After all expenses are taken into account the couple pays the woman approximately $31,000 and the agency approximately $5,000. Though the surrogate passed stringent mental testing to ensure she was competent to carry another couple's child, after carrying the pregnancy to term, the surrogate says that she has become too attached to "her" child to give it up to the couple. A legal battle ensues.

In the United States it is illegal to pay a person for non-replenishable organs. The fear is that money will influence the poor to harm their bodies for the benefit of the rich. Do you see a parallel between this case and this law? Can allowing surrogate mothers to be paid for their troubles allow poorer women to be oppressed?

Does paying the surrogate harm her and/or the child's dignity?

Is it selfish/conceited for this couple to want children of their own genetic make-up? If yes, does this change if you can "easily" have a child? (Note: Over 100,000 children in the U.S. are waiting to be adopted. However, most are older, have several siblings, or have special needs.)

On their website, the AMA says "that surrogacy contracts [when the surrogate uses her own egg], while permissible, should grant the birth mother the right to void the contract within a reasonable period of time after the birth of the child. If the contract is voided, custody of the child should be determined according to the child's best interests." Do you see any problems with this? (What's a reasonable time? In a way can you steal the surrogate's child?)

One of the main arguments against the use of surrogate mothers is that carrying and giving birth to a child is such an emotional event that it is impossible to determine if the surrogate will be able to give up the child. Though adults enter into the contract, the child could ultimately suffer if a long custody battle ensues (as it could in states where surrogacy contracts hold no legal value, such as Virginia). With the possibility of such battles, do you think it is acceptable for parents to use a surrogate mother?

Do you think that if the surrogate is awarded the baby, this could cause emotional harm to the child?

Who do you think should receive the child, and why?

A married couple wishes to have a child; however, the 32 year old mother knows that she is a carrier for Huntington's disease (HD). HD is a genetic disorder that begins showing signs at anywhere from 35-45 years of age. Its symptoms begin with slow loss of muscle control and end in loss of speech, large muscle spasms, disorientation and emotional outbursts. After 15-20 years of symptoms HD ends in death. HD is a dominant disorder which means that her child will have a 50% chance of contracting the disorder. Feeling that risking their baby's health would be irresponsible, the couple decides to use in vitro fertilization to fertilize several of the wife's eggs. Several eggs are harvested, and using special technology, only eggs that do not have the defective gene are kept to be fertilized. The physician then fertilizes a single egg, and transfers the embryo to the mother. Approximately 9 months later, the couple gives birth to a boy who does not carry the gene for the disorder.

Is this a case of eugenics? "Eugenics" is defined as "the hereditary improvement of the human race controlled by selective breeding" (dictionary.com)

Would it be acceptable for the parents to select for sex as well, or should they only select an embryo that does not have HD? How would this be different?

Is it ethical for this couple to have a baby when the mother could begin showings signs of HD when the baby is just a few years old?

With this technology possible, would it be ethical for this couple to have a child without genetically ensuring it would not have the disease? What if we did not have this technology, would it be ethical for a known carrier to have a child? (If not, how far should this carry? a carrier for cystic fibrosis ( which is recessive)? )

Weighing everything we have discussed, do you believe the couple acted ethically?

Response To Bio-Terrorism

The possibility of terrorists using biological weapons on the citizens of the United States has been a major topic in the press for the last several years. Smallpox has been speculated to be the perfect biological terror agent because of the potency of the virus, and because of the lack of herd immunity present in the US population. The following case presents a possible way in which the virus could be released in the population and a possible response. The questions following the case involve the ethics surrounding the government's response.

Smallpox Facts:

Smallpox initially has flu-like symptoms, which are recognizable 7-19 days after exposure. After 2-4 days of flu-like symptoms, the fever begins to decrease, and pox will form.

An infected person is contagious one day before the characteristic pox appear.

Approximately 30-50% of unvaccinated people exposed to smallpox will contract the disease.

The mortality rate for smallpox was approximately 20-40%.

The vaccine that was used was approximately 90% effective.

It is possible that if terrorists were to use the smallpox virus, that they would genetically modify it. If this were the case, then the vaccine may not prevent all of the disease symptoms for those vaccinated.

Facts gathered from: http://www.vbs.admin.ch/ls/e/current/fact_sheet/pocken/

Date: June 22, 2005. A 27-year-old man is brought into a New York City emergency room with a 101-degree fever, and what he believes is chickenpox (Varicella). After a brief examination, the 35-year-old physician is puzzled because the pox do not appear to be typical of the varicella-zoster virus. Worried, he calls in another physician for her opinion. She takes one look at the patient, determines he has small pox, and immediately orders him to be quarantined. She notifies the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and asks them what should be done. While doing background on the patient, he tells the physicians that he is a flight attendant and that he has flown to Orlando, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL, and Seattle, WA in the past few weeks while working. Though he is given excellent treatment, and had been in perfect health a few days earlier, the patient dies 7 hours after admittance to the hospital.

The CDC decides that mandatory small pox vaccines will be administered to all workers in the NYC hospital, and to all patients who were in the ER. His co-workers are all given mandatory vaccines as well, as are all people living in his apartment complex. They also ship stored quantities of the vaccine to all of the cities where the man had flown to for work. The vaccines are offered to citizens of these cities. Finally, all people, along with their families who had been on the man's flights in the weeks preceding the appearance of the disease are forced to receive the vaccine.

Questions: Note: The flight attendant was most likely given small pox by a bio terrorist who flew on his plane sometime during the past week/week and a half. The terrorist would have been contagious but would not have shown symptoms. Virtually every person the man came into contact with would have gotten the virus.

Is it ethical for the CDC to force people to get the vaccine?

An LA woman on the flight is religiously opposed to vaccines. Under California law she can normally refuse vaccines on religious or personal grounds. However, the government says she must receive the vaccine or face mandatory quarantine. What do you think of this?

Do you think that for more common diseases, for example measles, that it is ethical for the state to allow people to refuse vaccines (even for religious grounds)? What if their refusal can harm others who cannot have the vaccine, such as people who are immunocompromised like AIDS patients?

Is it ethical for someone to refuse the vaccine?

You had driven down to Los Angeles 5 days ago to visit a friend for the weekend. While in town, you visited many tourist attractions. You are worried and you try to get the vaccine, but are denied it because of limited resources. What do you think of this?

Citizens begin calling for the mandatory quarantining of people directly exposed to the victim, i.e those living in his apartment complex, those working in the ER, those who flew on the plane in the prior week. What do you think of this?

The smallpox vaccine, like many other vaccines (example: oral polio vaccine) can actually transmit the virus to others. In light of this, is it ethical for people to get the vaccine? (Note: they are vaccinating those who may not want to be vaccinated)

Today, should health care workers be allowed/forced to get the smallpox vaccine? What about non-health care worker citizens?

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Medical Ethics - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Medical ethics is a set of moral principles and values that guide healthcare professionals in their decision-making process. It outlines the rights and responsibilities of patients and healthcare providers, as well as the ethical considerations that arise in the medical field. Medical ethics encompasses various areas, such as informed consent, confidentiality, end-of-life care, and access to healthcare. It is essential for healthcare providers to uphold ethical standards in order to provide quality care and maintain the trust and respect of their patients.

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Code of Medical Ethics
Health Care Ethics & Medical Law: Medical Records
Consent to Medical Treatment Medical Law
Religion and Medical Ethics
Medical Malpractice
Medical Marijuana Research
A Discussion on the Issue of Medical Malpractice
Profit Driven Medical Industries Intended and Unintended Actions
Medical Documentation
How Women Are Mistreated In The Medical Community
The healthcare industry also called the medical industry or
Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)
Interesting Topics For Your Medical Argumentative Essay
Effective Medical College Diversity Essay
The Dominance of Global Medical Tourism
Medical Office Management
Statement of Purpose in Medical Sector
Electronic-Based Medical Record
Advantages of Medical Isolation and Quarantine
How has a process in nature been used as a medical intervention?
About Medical Pluralism
A Not-For-Profit Medical Research Center
Electronic medical records
Medical Marijuana Pros and Cons
Brian B. and The Medical File Test
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
How HIPAA Violations Affect the Medical Billing Process?
Comparison of Medical Device Regulations in Japan
CIA-Security Triad for Medical Data Integrity
Medical Terminology and Terms
Reflective Writing for Medical Student
Dr Charles Richard Drew a Pioneer in Medical Science

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Medical Ethics Essays

Truth, beneficence, and autonomy: ethical complexities in healthcare, ethical dilemmas and family values: navigating medical ethics in ’my sister’s keeper, ethical decision making, case study: alzheimer’s disease, to vaccinate or not to vaccinate, medical ethics issues related to access to health care, health law and regulation, why animals should not be used for biomedical research, legal liabilities for nurse administration and managers, ethical dilemma in healthcare, a defense of the individual’s right to privacy over their genetic information, introduction to bioethics summary, the ethical and legal implications of discontinuing ventilation for brain-dead patients, role of an anaesthetic nurse practitioner, applying ethical principles, popular essay topics.

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Essay Samples on Medical Ethics

Rise of medical memoirs: humanizing the medical staff.

Introduction From 2010 onwards in the United Kingdom and the United States, there was a notable surge in the number of new medical memoirs being commissioned and published. The medical memoir rose to generic prominence across this period through a range of key titles including...

Medical Ethics

Nonmaleficence Vs Beneficence: Ethical Principles On Physician Assisted Death

As the “baby boomer” Americans start reaching retirement age, the older adult hospital population is rising, and it is important for people with chronic diseases to have advanced directives for end-of-life care. In fact, only about 26.3% of U.S. adults have an advanced directive for...

Palliative Care

Nonmaleficence Vs Beneficence In The Autonomy Of Adolescents

The autonomy of adolescents is a difficult topic that healthcare professionals deal with daily. A minor, by definition, is a person younger than 18, while some children mature at an earlier age compared to their peers and might be able to make their own autonomous...

Adolescence

Beneficence And Nonmaleficence As One Of The Principles Of Medical Ethics

As a student who is currently striving to succeed in medical school in the near future, I am studying medical ethics to learn the basics and Principles of Biomedical Ethics and thus applying it in my career. There are four main principles of Biomedical Ethics...

Helping Others

Stem Cell Research: Vice Or Virtue

The advancements of contemporary stem cell research are making it possible to treat a wide range of human dysfunctions including muscular dystrophy, diabetes, baldness, blindness, deafness, and many neurodegenerative diseases. When the research emerged in the 1990’s scientists were certain that it had the power...

Bioengineering
Stem Cell Research

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Corporate Governance And Professional Ethics In Hospitals

A chairman is someone who tops the board, sets its enthusiasm and guarantees it is a successful working group at the head of the company. Chief executive officer (CEO) is the Head Honcho, the number one in command. No one is higher up within the...

Business Ethics

Corporate Governance Behind Hospitals And Medical Ethics

Unlike management, corporate governance can be defined as the basic rules and regulation by which companies are directed and controlled. Basically, in corporate governance a link is established between Board of director and shareholder/stakeholder of an organization. Both of them plays a vital role in...

Biomedical Engineering Ethics Article Analysis: The Importance of Ethical Standards in Bioengineering

Biomedical engineering is defined as the discipline that advances knowledge in engineering, biology, and medicine (Department of Bioengineering). According to the article, “Biomedical Engineering Ethics,” leading up to World War II, biomedical engineering was never a field of study, but after the war it has...

Biomedical Engineering

Enforcing Chemotherapy on Patients: The Ethical Dilemma in Medicine

The realm of medicine is a domain of enterprise that frequently encounters moral quandaries. These quandaries span from interactions with patients to instances where the healthcare system conceals information from the general public, which could tarnish their reputation. One such moral dilemma in medicine revolves...

Ethical Dilemma

The Ethical Financial Dilemma Physicians Face in Medicine

Introduction Physicians today need to be prepared to face ethical dilemmas throughout their careers. Unfortunately, ethical conflicts and dilemmas are not always clear cut or black and white. As the medical industry continues to evolve and insurance reimbursement models for medical services change with increasing...

The Ethical Dilemmas Among Medical Practitioners

The stance of making an urgent decision or choosing a specific plan of action from limited options upon the thoughts of ethical principles is a challenge experienced mostly by healthcare professionals in carrying out their practices. Notwithstanding this, for a medical practitioner to make a...

Arising Moral Issues of Stem Cells Treatment

In 1998, specialists set up the primary human embryonic stem cell line. Their logical triumph set off a morals and strategy contention that continues today. Bioethicists, religious pioneers, government authorities, persistent promoters, and researchers keep on discussing whether this exploration represents a guarantee, a danger,...

Ethical Issues Of Modern Medicine: Stem Cells Therapy

Over the last few years, stem cell use in modern medicine has seen an increase in popularity, one that it has never seen before. This is due to the relative ease at which it can be carried out these days, and the increase in number...

The Negligence of Elderly in the Nursing Home System

Summary In Winn v. Pioneer Medical Group, Inc. involves a neglect case brought forth by the plaintiff concerning her mother’s treatment. According to medical records, Ms. Cox visited Pioneer Medical Group for ten years. Throughout the visits, Ms. Cox was free to ask for a...

Elder Abuse
Nursing Home

Ethical Issues Involved in Charlie Gard Case with Emphasis on ‘In the Best Interests’

Introduction Charlie Gard was diagnosed with infantile-onset encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MDDS), an uncommon hereditary illness leading to gradual muscle weakness and brain damage. Charlie also suffered from congenital hearing loss and severe epilepsy. There was a hypothetical prospect that a novel nucleoside therapy...

Resolution of Ethical Dillema in Practical Nursing

Introduction Ethical dilemmas are basically situations where there are two available courses of action that completely contradict each other. The nurse has no choice but to make a decision between the two choices because each of the two decision choices is equally urgent and each...

Problem Solving

ANA Code of Ethics as a Tool to Solve an Ethical Dilemma

As little kids, we were instilled the value of knowing right from wrong. If you saw a child on the playground push down another one, you would automatically see it as something wrong. With this being said, the way someone was raised will have a...

The Assissted Dying Bill: Limit of Court Power

Assisted suicide is the concept that when a person is incapable of terminating their own life due to circumstances such as physical disability, that someone else is therefore needed to aid in this process. Consequently, the problems surrounding this area are whether crimes such as...

Assisted Suicide

Moral Ethics of Physician Assissted Suicide

Introduction Physician assisted suicide is the most common form of euthanasia. In cases of euthanasia, the physician provides the method of death, usually through a lethal drug. In physician assisted suicide, it is required that a person of full mental capacity willingly expresses the wish...

Legalization of Physician Assisted Suicide in US

Significantly, physician assisted suicide is not allowed in all states. Physician assisted suicide is when a doctor provides a patient with the means and knowledge to end their own life. In the end, the patient is the one that is committing suicide. Only ten states...

Ethical Issues in Nursing: Investigating Two Fundamental Topics

The nursing profession is a very sensitive profession especially based on the understanding that it involves delivery of care. It is a common understanding that nursing profession is more fulfilling. However, the nursing practice has significant ethical challenges, which are detrimental to nursing care practice....

Professionalism

The Case Study of Katherine: Insight into Bioethics

Bioethics Case Study Family Wishes and Harm to the Patient Situational Awareness We are aware of the following facts in Katherine's case: 1.Katherine is in a comatose state. After arresting several times, she remained comatose and presumably irreversibly unconscious. After other complications, her state progressed...

Review Of Boutte's Case Of Malpractice

An Atlanta board certified doctor is being sued after being filmed dancing, scalpel in hand, for malpractice. Dr. Windell Boutte has posted as many as 20 -now deleted- videos on YouTube with her and even her assistants as backup dancers to songs such as “Cut...

Universal Health Care

Is It Ethical To Use Restraint When Treating Patients With A Mental Illness?

Mental Illness is defined as a health condition which involves changes in emotion, thinking or behaviour (or even a combination of these) while serious mental illness is a behavioural, mental or emotional disorder. Examples of serious mental health illnesses are schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder....

Mental Illness

Best topics on Medical Ethics

1. Rise of Medical Memoirs: Humanizing the Medical Staff

2. Nonmaleficence Vs Beneficence: Ethical Principles On Physician Assisted Death

3. Nonmaleficence Vs Beneficence In The Autonomy Of Adolescents

4. Beneficence And Nonmaleficence As One Of The Principles Of Medical Ethics

5. Stem Cell Research: Vice Or Virtue

6. Corporate Governance And Professional Ethics In Hospitals

7. Corporate Governance Behind Hospitals And Medical Ethics

8. Biomedical Engineering Ethics Article Analysis: The Importance of Ethical Standards in Bioengineering

9. Enforcing Chemotherapy on Patients: The Ethical Dilemma in Medicine

10. The Ethical Financial Dilemma Physicians Face in Medicine

11. The Ethical Dilemmas Among Medical Practitioners

12. Arising Moral Issues of Stem Cells Treatment

13. Ethical Issues Of Modern Medicine: Stem Cells Therapy

14. The Negligence of Elderly in the Nursing Home System

15. Ethical Issues Involved in Charlie Gard Case with Emphasis on ‘In the Best Interests’

Lactose Intolerance
Cerebral Palsy
Chronic Pain
Multiple Sclerosis
Myocardial Infarction

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Home / Essay Samples / Health / Medicine / Medical Ethics

Medical Ethics Essay Examples

Milgram, skinner box and tuskegee experiment - scientific immorality.

This is Milgram, Skinner Box and Tuskegee experiment essay in which we will briefly analyse these scientific events. All gathering techniques must meet the ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association, also known as the APA. The APA was established in 1892. The APA helps...

Tuskegee Syphilis Study - Ethical Issues and Personal Statement

Ethics in research are portrayed as an individual’s guidance to morally perform appropriate behavior when researching and conducting a Tuskegee Syphilis study ethical issues essay paper. It also helps an individual to practice preventing harm among other individuals and avoiding bias within their work. In...

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care: Background and Significance

Disparities based on race and ethnicity has perpetually withheld the black community from accessing the conventional facilities pertaining to healthcare. The truth of our world is that there is an urgent problem of racial and ethnic disparities in health care and in this essay numerous...

Key Principles of Cultural Competence in Nursing Practice

There are plenty of key principles in nursing that relate to cultural competence. So with application to an adult nursing practice these cultural competence in nursing are analysed in the current essay. These factors that may influence nursing interventions when caring for a patients spiritual,...

Ethical Imperatives in Modern Medicine: an Overview

Ethics are an important untouchable resource that should be used in a workplace. Ethics are a set of moral principles that guide a person`s behavior and are a combination of social norms, cultural practices, religious influences and they show what is right or wrong, what...

Examining Euthanasia: Medical Ethics Considerations

Euthanasia discussion is one of the most common medical ethics topics for the essay as it is highly relevant to medical professionals and students, especially given the recent legalisation of “Voluntary Assisted Dying” in Victoria. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) defines euthanasia as “the act...

Analysis of Ethical Issues in Healthcare

Healthcare is a fundamental human need, and the ethical considerations surrounding it are of paramount importance. Ethical issues in healthcare encompass a wide range of dilemmas and challenges that healthcare professionals, patients, and policymakers must grapple with daily. This essay explores some of the most...

Human Cloning: a Controversial Issue

Human cloning could become a reality in the near future seeing that techniques are attainable according to Sudipta. Doctor Michael West, the lead scientist, and his team were the first to clone human embryos in 2001, although the embryos died quickly, they are progressing, which...

Is It Possible and Ethical to Clone Humans Essay

There are crucial moral arguments against cloning humans, it's been suggested that there might be exceptional cases in which cloning humans might be ethically permissible. In is it possible and ethical to clone humans essay I will try to reveal this topic. One sort of...

Pro Euthanasia: It Should Be Legalised in the UK

Euthanasia is a really controversial question. Should it be banned or as we live in demoracy and in freedom this act should be allowed? To start with, this is pro euthanasia essay in which I will share some arguments why euthanasia should become legal in...

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