Dela Cruz, M.R.S.

November 15, 2021

BSN 2A NCM 104
Lesson 2: Principle of Double effect
Case Analysis # 1: Try to analyze the situation using the four conditions of the principle of the
Double Effect if the physician’s decision is ethical. On each condition write down the needed
data to either support or not the physician's decision. Conditions 1-3 are graded according to
accuracy while the last question will be grade according to the rubric. See rubric for marking at
the learning outcome assessment section.
Situation: An operation to remove the cancerous uterus of a pregnant woman that will also kill
her unborn child was decided by the physician. The physician rightly decides that this operation
is ethical.
Condition# 1: The directly intended object of the act must not be intrinsically contradictory to
the true ultimate goal of human life. (2 points).
What is/ are the direct intention of the physician?
The direct intention of the physician is to save the pregnant woman’s life by removing
the cancerous uterus. Although the option does result in killing the unborn child, the act itself
was not accomplished for that sake but rather, it was accomplished for the safety and benefit of
the pregnant woman.
Condition# 2: The intention of the agent must be to achieve the beneficial effects and as far as
possible to avoid the harmful effects (i.e., the agent must only indirectly intend the harm). (3
points)
Is the physician intention achieving the beneficial effects? What is the harmful effect of the
physician's decision? Can the physician avoid it?
The physician’s intention is to achieve a beneficial effect for the pregnant woman,
specifically saving the pregnant woman’s life. However, by doing so, a harmful effect may occur
indirectly. Resulting from opting to save the pregnant woman’s life by removing the cancerous
uterus, the unborn child will be killed. Moreover, the physician cannot do anything to avoid the
repercussion of the choice.
Condition# 3: The foreseen beneficial effects must be at least equal to the foreseen harmful
effects. (2 points)
Is the beneficial effect of the physician's decision equal to the harmful effect?
The beneficial effect of the physician’s decision is indeed equal to the harmful effect it
brings. By opting to remove the cancerous uterus, the life of the pregnant woman would be
saved. However, this would also result in killing the unborn child. The beneficial effect, saving
the pregnant woman’s life, is equal to the harmful effect, losing the unborn child’s life.
Condition# 4: The beneficial effects must follow from the action at least as immediately as do
the harmful effects (otherwise the harmful effects are the real means chosen to affect the good
end). (3 points)
The woman’s life was assured to be in a safe condition after the physician opted to remove the
cancerous uterus and not due to the loss of the unborn child’s life. The beneficial effect follows
immediately by the action and not by the harmful effect or the loss of the unborn child’s life.
Hence, the act is rooted to a good end and not for an evil cause.
Is the physician's decision ethical? Support you answer. See Rubric for marking.
I believe that the physician’s decision is ethical. Based on the justification of the
physician’s action, the act was based on saving the life of the pregnant woman. Despite the act
resulting to the death of the newborn, the act itself was not performed for the sake of killing the
newborn but rather for saving the mother from dying due to the cancerous uterus. Moreover, the
dreadful repercussion of removing the uterus was not intended but rather intended indirectly. The
choices would fall down to saving the mother or saving the unborn child and, in this case, both
lives weigh the same. Hence, saving the pregnant woman’s life, the benefit, is equal to the harm
the action brings, losing the unborn child’s life. To sum it up, the physician’s decision is
considered ethical as his or her actions were performed for a good cause, without planning any
direct harm to any party, and the results of the action is a benefit that is completely equal to the
harm it brings.