Biomedical Ethics

Abstract

This chapter is an outline of the basic issues in biomedical ethics and is intended to serve as a foundation for later chapters that draw on the concepts discussed. The chapter begins with an examination of the various categories of bioethical concerns as well as a look at the Hippocratic origins of medical ethics. Various instances of historical lapses in bioethics are then presented to the reader to serve as cautionary examples. The chapter then discusses various ethical theories, including Kantian ethics, principlism, virtue ethics and utilitarianism. Additional topics discussed include consent, medical futility, therapeutic privilege and a sampling of pertinent legal cases.