Dr. Kevorkian has called for a new health care specialty to be called Obiatrists. These specialists would administer drugs to assist clients in the dying process. Examine the basic principles of health care ethics and explain how each of the principles would relate to the new specialty

Answer 1

Autonomy—one could make the argument that being able to make this decision would provide the patient with additional self-determination. Beneficence—In cases of unrelenting intractable pain and terminal illness, one could argue that the process was more humane than to allow continued suffering. Nonmaleficence—in that the process precludes any other decisions, or opportunities for miraculous recovery, new treatments, and so on, this would be a difficult justification. Veracity—this would not seem to be a related principle. Confidentiality—this would not seem to be a related principle. Role fidelity—many health professions' codes of professional ethics and traditions of practice would bar such activity. Justice—this would become an issue in the system that was established to carry out the process involving issues of fairness, just desserts, and entitlements.