HEALTH ETHICS

PEARLYN GRACE O. BANGAAN, RPh

What is ethics?
 ETHICS
• Ethics is the study of how
human beings treat each
other and the natural
environment.
• It is the systematic
examination of the attitudes
and behaviors of people.
 ETHICS
• Ethics is the concept of
interpreting morality.

*MORALITY- beliefs about what

is right and wrong behavior
 ETHICS

• How should we behave?

• What choices should we
make about how we live
our lives?
• What do we consider
acceptable in our society?
 ETHICS
“Ethics is the enterprise of
disciplined reflection on
the moral intuitions and
moral choices that people
make.”
-Veatch, 1989
 Example
• Many of us think individuals
should not be penalized for
wrongs that are not of their
doing.
What is health
ethics?
 HEALTH ETHICS
• Is a branch of ethics that deals
with ethical issues in health, health
care, medicine and science.
• It involves discussions about
treatment choices and care
options that individuals, families,
and health care providers must
face.
 Example
• Making decisions about end-of-
life care
• Determining whether to allocate
funds to the treatment of
disease or the promotion of
health.
• Ensuring ethical conduct in
health research
WHAT FACTORS AFFECT HOW
WE FIND ANSWERS?

• Religions
• Intuitive feelings
• Cultural norms
• Laws and Policies
• Professional Codes of Conduct
• Coercion
 ACTIVITY 1
• Express your ethical thoughts
or opinions.

-Should termination of
pregnancy be morally
permissible?