Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology.
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Developments in science and technology in the twentieth century have led to advances in medicine and healthcare that have benefited millions of lives. The changing context in which health care is provided has created new challenges for health workers, health researchers, and the broader healthcare of the community. Medical professionals increasingly find themselves confronted with moral questions and ethical dilemmas.
A common framework used in the analysis of medical ethics is the "four principles" approach postulated by Tom Beauchamp and James Childress in their textbook Principles of biomedical ethics. It recognizes four basic moral principles, which are to be judged and weighed against each other, with attention given to the scope of their application. The four principles are:
- Respect for autonomy - the patient has the right to refuse or choose their treatment. (Voluntas aegroti suprema lex.)
- Beneficence - a practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient. (Salus aegroti suprema lex.)
- Non-maleficence - "first, do no harm" (primum non nocere).
- Justice - concerns the distribution of scarce health resources, and the decision of who gets what treatment (fairness and equality). View More
