Medical Ethics Dr. Raid Jastania. Right and Wrong

Medical Ethics

Dr. Raid Jastania

Right and Wrong

MoralityValues

Principles and ConceptsRight and Wrong

Ethics

Aim and Benefit of Ethics

Understand the Boundaries Be Good Enough

Example:

Evidence-Based MedicineGuidelines and

Recommendations

Standards of Practice

Be Good Enough

What is expected from me?What is appropriate to do?What is inappropriate to do?

Watch my Behavior!Why do I do what I do!Evaluate, Assess, Analyze….

How did we reach where we are?

• Belief• Values• Principles• Concepts

• Assumptions• Directions• Behavior• Pressure: cultural,

society, political, educational….

So What should We Do?

So What should We Do?

• Think, think, and think….!

• Watch our Behavior….!

• Evaluate, Assess….! Why do we do this!!

• Consider Right and Wrong concept….!

• Consider change and Improvement….!

• In short: “Be Good Enough”!

OK….., HOW?!

A Suggestion for a Start!

Medical Ethics

Medical Ethics

• Field of applied ethics, the study of moral, values and judgments as they apply to medicine.

Medical Ethics: History

• Ishaq Rahawi wrote (Conduct of Physician) the first book written in medical ethics

• Alrazi• Jewish thinkers: Thomas Aquinas….• 18th, 19th century: self-conscious discourse• Thomas Percival• 1847: The American Medical Association

adopted the first Code of Ethics.

Medical Ethics: History

• 20th century: Liberal Prostant, Joseph Fletcher..

• 1960, 1970: Liberal theory, Procedural justice.

• Bioethics

• Influence: Review Boards, Evaluate experiments, Ethics Committees….

Hippocratic Oath

Values in Medical Ethics• Autonomy: the patient has the right to refuse or

choose their treatment.• Beneficence: a practitioner should act in the best

interest of the patient.• Non-maleficence: First, Do no harm.• Justice: who gets what treatment (fairness and

equality).• Dignity: the patient has the right to dignity.• Truthfulness and honesty: eg. Informed consent.

Values in Medical Ethics

الحريةاألفضل عمل

الضرر منعالعدل

الكرامةالصدق

That’s Easy!

• Values give a useful framework for understanding conflicts.

• When values are in conflict, the result may be ethical dilemma.

Let’s Think

Autonomy vs Paternalism

Beneficence

Is treating always beneficial?

Autonomy vs Beneficence

Non-Maleficence

Do no harm.

Understand risk and benefits.

Double effect

Informed consent

Confidentiality

Can we break confidentiality?

Conflict of Interest

• Referring patients to tests and receiving benefits

• Drug companies

• Treating Family members

• Sexual relation with patients and relative of patients

The Take Home Message

Take Home Message

• Think, think, and think….!

• Watch our Behavior….!

• Evaluate, Assess….! Why do we do this!!

• Consider Right and Wrong concept….!

• Consider change and Improvement….!

• In short: “Be Good Enough”!