Discussion Post: Philosophy Biomedical Ethics
• We our shifting our attention to a new ethic concept: justice. To think about justice, we'll discuss one of the most important (and contentious) ethical questions in our country. Do we have a moral obligation to provide some level of health care for each citizen of the U.S.? Your discussion questions this week ask you to address this question from the perspective of our readings. We have been discussing professional duties and the fundamentals of medical ethics so far this semester. Justice is also an important question in bioethics. Each of the medical associations (ANA, AMA, etc.) address justice and health care in some way. Justice has clinical implications, such as which clients professionals should serve (those who can't pay?) and who should pay for experimental treatments. In your discussion post, feel free to comment on these clinical issues as well as the larger questions of justice in the questions. As usual, please be fair and respectful in explaining your own views and raising questions in discussion.
• Let's turn out attention to making medical choices for those who cannot choose for themselves. This is an issue that has touched many of people personally, so please be especially considerate of one another. Choosing treatment for incompetent patients - and helping families navigate that difficult process - is one of the most challenging tasks clinicians face. This discussion is a chance to think about what ethical criteria to use - for both families and clinicians - in making those choices.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.