Bioethics (Social Philosophy and Policy) - Softcover

Paul, Ellen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521525268 ISBN 13: 9780521525268

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2002

Synopsis

Technological innovations and social developments have led to dramatic changes in the practice of medicine and in the way that scientists conduct medical research. Change has brought beneficial consequences, yet these gains have come at a cost, for many modern medical practices raise troubling ethical questions: Should life be sustained mechanically when the brain's functions have ceased? Should potential parents be permitted to manipulate the genetic characteristics of their embryos? Should society ration medical care to control costs? Should fetal stem cells be experimented upon in an effort to eventually palliate or cure debilitating diseases? Bioethicists analyze and assess moral dilemmas raised by medical research and innovative treatments; they also counsel healthcare practitioners, patients, and their families. In this anthology, fifteen philosophers, social scientists, and academic lawyers assess various aspects of this field.

About this title

Book Description

A focus on issues including: the responsibilities of researchers to subjects in clinical trials; proper criteria for determining when a living organism dies; allocation of scarce, life-saving medical resources; subsidization of pharmaceutical products for those who may miss out on the benefits modern medicine has brought.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521525268
• ISBN 13: 9780521525268
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 418