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Ethical Argument on Deontology

Anmol Sehgal

Justice Institute of British Columbia

ETHS 1100: Applied Ethics

Instructor: Louai Rahal

November 1st, 2023

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Medical Ethics –Informed consent

Premise 1: We owe it to others to respect their freedom. We are unethical if we fail to fulfill this

obligation, especially in the context of medical ethics and informed consent. The need to acquire

informed consent is an ethical necessity as well as a procedural one. We honor patients' dignity

and autonomy by providing them with the knowledge they need to make independent healthcare

decisions Emphasizing the importance of respecting individual autonomy means acknowledging

and valuing a person's capacity to make rational, self-determined choices. Failure to uphold this

obligation may infringe a patient's freedom to make informed decisions which as a result, not

only violates their autonomy, but also constitutes an ethical violation under the deontological

framework. Our need to respect patients' freedom via informed permission is a core premise in

medical ethics, and failing to do so is intrinsically unethical.

Premise 2: Informed consent is a deontological premise in medical ethics that emphasizes the

obligation to respect the independence and liberty of the patient. Autonomy is seen as a key

ethical ideal in the context of medical ethics. The ability of an individual to make autonomous

decisions based on their own reasonable judgment and ideals is referred to as autonomy. This

autonomy confers on individuals a distinct moral standing deserving of respect and the freedom

to make decisions about their own health and well-being. Informed consent guarantees that

patients are considered as ends in themselves, rather than as a means to an end, and that their

autonomy is protected.

Premise 3: This theory also provides us with the principle of universality which provides that the

principle should be applicable universally. Since the rule of informed consent applies to all

individuals, regardless of their specific circumstances. Whether in medical treatment, research

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participation, or any other context where individual choices are at stake, the principle of

informed consent applies universally. This universal applicability also plays a significant role in

providing a sense of comfort to the patients because you are providing the patients with all the

relevant and important information which is going to benefit him and contribute into patient’s

wellness.

Premise 4: - Moreover, the theory suggest that we should not treat individuals as a means to an

end. When informed consent is not obtained or respected, individuals may be coerced or

manipulated into actions that serve the interests of others, such as healthcare providers or

researchers, without due regard for their own values and preferences. Humans should not be

treated as an object upon which medical practitioner can carry out experiments. Human lives are

precious and must be dealt with respect and freedom. Respecting informed consent ensures that

individuals are not instrumentalized and that their choices are honored.

Conclusion: From the deontology perspective an informed consent is based on the moral duty to

respect individual autonomy and uphold the inherent worth of each person. It underscores that

informed consent should be universally applicable, seeks to prevent the use of individuals as

means to an end, and asserts that it is a moral imperative firmly based on the principle of

respecting individuals. By obliging these principles, we can perform our moral duties while

keeping in mind the individual freedom and welfare at the same time.
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