Name: Sucheta Sachan

Roll No.: 1911154

Class: B.A.(HONS.)English second year

Bioethics Assignment

Email : sachan.sucheta7@gmail.com

BIO-ETHICS
(Assignment)

Total Marks: 25

Q1. Critically examine the role of Bio-ethics in the field of medical science? 10Marks

ANS. "Bioethics is the critical examination of decision-making in health-related contexts

and in contexts including the biological sciences." ( Samuel Gorvoitz)

It is an interdisciplinary domain that explores the ethical dimensions of decision-making

in health care and life sciences. From a broad perspective, bioethics encompasses not just
philosophical study of the ethics of medicine but also such fields as medical law, medical
anthropology,medical sociology and health economics. However, from a limited
perspective, it is only an area of philosophical review. Bioethics involves medical ethics
and studying about equilibrium between benefits, harm and duties. It does havean
influence both on patients and health professionals.Relevance of bioethics varies from
birth to end of life. Bioethics not only provides a guideline to medical professionals about
clinical decision-making, advancements in medical technologies, but also playing vital
role in policy changes and legislation in recent years. Bioethics is a blend of scientific
and humanistic constituent and does not have need of the recognition of certain long-
establishedstandards that are basic to medical ethics. Bioethics contributes to the rights
and responsibilities of patients as persons. Its significance replicates in various divisions
e.g. medical care, researches and overall community.

This field has progressed as a consequence of the increasing advancement in the medical
field and the challenges that come with it which require critical deliberation regarding
ethical disputes. Bioethics is therefore an essential field to solve discords especially those
which include values or rights. The decision making procedure is based on four doctrines
- autonomy, justice, beneficence, non -malfeasance.

Bioethics results in an understanding among the medical professionals about several

medical practices and their ethical problems. It assures a good patient -doctor relationship
as it sustains a stability between benefits, harm and obligations. It is vital in working out
the conflicts between family, patient, physician or other parties. It also plays a prominent
role in policy alterations and legislation and contributes to rights and responsibilities of
patients as it assures patient dignity.

Despite all the usefulness of the study of bioethics, it has some impediments too.
Bioethics has been criticised for its time consuming nature as it requires a moral
deliberate style as compared to other medical decisions. It involves using values,
facts ,and reasoning to make decisions. For this, collection of data, analysis of the ethical
issues and sharing opinions is required. Therefore, it takes more time than other medical
decisions.

Since there is no preordained answer to most ethical problems, even experienced ethicists
may disagree on a solution to the same ethical problem.

Bioethics is also restricted due to social controls and the rules of the medical profession.
Q2. Write a short note on the following: 15 Marks

I. What is human Dignity and how it came to define human rights in the emerging global
norms relating to bio-ethics?

ANS. Human dignity is the fundamental entitlement that each individual has. It is a
recognition that human beings possess a special value innate to their humanity as such are
worthy of respect plainly because they are human beings. It claims that every human
being, regardless of age, ability, gender, status, ethnicity, should be treated with respect.
It has ensued as a reaction against Nazi principles and practice before and during the
second world war, which concluded in the holocaust. Human dignity developed as the
prominent organizing concept in the civil rights movement in the US.

In bioethics, human dignity is a major issue in debates of reproductive rights, issue of

appropriate treatment at the end of life and genetic manipulation. Human dignity has
played a crucial role in the formulation of human rights.

The preamble of universal declaration of human rights of 1948 states 'inherent dignity' of
all human beings as 'foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." The article 1
also states that " All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights"

thus dignity is not something to be earned on the basis of caste, race, or some great deeds
but something that every human being has the right to.

The International covenant on civil and political rights, adopted in 1966, continued this
concept as the preamble states " .. these rights derive from the inherent dignity of the
human person."

In the 2005 UNESCO declaration, respect for human dignity was placed first in the list
of principles that should govern the biomedical(Article 3), also embodies the central aim
of the whole instrument ( Article 2.C).

II. What are the limitations in the definition of personhood according to Michael Tooley?

ANS. The concept of personhood is of Central importance in the history of moral

philosophy. The term 'personhood' assigns a being of the highest significance. Ethics is
concerned with evolving positions on the right and wrong ways to treat others.

The main issue in the definition of personhood is understanding 'what it means to be a

person ?' According to Tooley, "that anything that has, and has exercised all of the
following capacities is a person, and that anything that has never had any of them is not a
person : the capacity for self-consciousness; the capacity to think; the capacity for
rational thought; the capacity to arrive at decisions by deliberation; the capacity to
 envisage a future for oneself ; the capacity for being a subject of non-momentary
interests; the capacity to use language."

Tooley defines a person as any being with the capacity of self-consciousness as a

"continuing subject of experiences." According to this definition only persons have the
right to life, therefore it is admissible to kill newborn infants. His definition of
personhood is therefore dubious and requires a clear distinction between active and
passive potentiality as he seems to think that a being had the potential to become a person
if it were physically and technologically possible for an object to become a person.

III. Why consent is important? And how it is achievable in practice?

ANS. Concept can be defined as "autonomous authorization of a medical intervention by

individual patients." It is the process by which the physician conveys rightful information
to an eligible patient so that the patient may make a voluntary choice regarding the ways
of treatment. Consent can be both, explicit and implicit. The concept of consent
originates from the ethical principle of patient autonomy and basic human rights. Patients
have the right to be well-informed and the liberty to decide what should happen to their
body.

Consent is significant as it confirms that the patient has an opportunity to be an

informed participant in their healthcare decisions. In many countries, patient's consent is
a legal requirement. Ethically, dignity for persons requires that physicians promote
patient's control over their own lives.

The requirement to obtain consent is established by most International and national health
professional organisations like the world Medical Association's Declaration on the rights
of the patient (2005).

The physician must ensure that the patient is involved in decision making. Patients often
feel powerless and weak, hence, physicians must make it clear to them that they are
taking part in a decision - making process. A doctor must share his reasoning and
opinions with the patient and answer all the questions put forward by the patient. Even if
the patient is inclined to follow the doctor's advice, the doctor should urge them to make
an independent decision. Lastly, it is necessary that the physicians are sensitive to
cultural, as well as emotional feelings when communicating difficult choices.