Transcript BIOETHICS.pps

PERCEPTION OF MODERN MEDICAL ETHICAL
ISSUES BY NON-MEDICAL SCIENCE GRADUATES
M.A.Jothi Rajan
Arul Anandar College, Karumathur-625514, India.
THE EIGHTH ASIAN BIOETHICS CONFERENCE (ABC 2007)
MARCH 19-23,2007
CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY, BANGKOK, THAILAND
INTRODUCTION
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A mini debate was conducted on “Medical Ethics” for the final
year undergraduate students of Physics course. A batch of 36
students (5 girls and 31 boys) in the age group of 18+ were
divided into 15 groups. The topics for the debate were given
two months prior to the conduct date, and relevant study
materials were provided from different books on ethics,
newspaper cuttings, internet web sites of Eubios Ethics
Institute, internet web site of UNESCO Bangkok, and other
relevant web sites. All the students were given to read the text
book ‘ A CROSS CULTURAL INTRODUCTION TO BIOETHICS”
(2005) edited by Dr. Darryl Macer.
TOPICS INCLUDED FOR THE DEBATE
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1. Doctor- Patient relationship (2)
2. Surrogacy (2)
3. Euthanasia (3)
4. Human Cloning (4)
5. Animals are also moral beings(2)
6. Nursing- A noble Job (3)
7. AIDS in India (3)
8. Brain death (2)
9. Health for all by 2000AD (1)
10. Private hospitals (3)
11. Organ donation (2)
13. Medical care for pregnant women (3)
14. Government hospitals (2)
15. Altruism (1)
HOW THE TOPICS WERE SELECTED
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A Free hand was given to all the students to
select a topic of their own
Students came out with interest to select the
topic appealing to them
The mentor supplied relevant study materials
and web page addresses to prepare for the
debate
Doctor - Patient relationship
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The debate concluded with the message that
the Doctor – Patient relationship should
improve so that the cure is more of
psychological than physical
Surrogacy
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It should be discouraged since it degrades
human dignity
However it is the moral responsibility of the
spouses to decide on this issue
Euthanasia
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It is against the teachings of all the religions
in the world
It should not be legalized as it is the human
tendency to err in times of terminal illness
Human Cloning
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It is against nature
It is against the values of societies practiced
by most of the people in the world
Human dignity is in its peril
Animals are also moral beings
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This statement is partially true
The usefulness of pet animals is a moral
lesson for human beings
Animal cruelty should be minimized
Nursing - A noble Job
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It is the fate of the person to become a nurse
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It is a curse to be a nurse
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To serve with smile should be the motto of
the nurse
AIDS in India
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It is a major concern for all the participants
It is good to encourage safe sex and educate
the youth about the harm full effects of
unsafe sex
Brain death
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This should be avoided by nurturing the
disease even in the early stages
Health for all by 2000AD
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It is a reality if we adopt native medicines in
addition to the allopathic medicines
The state is responsible for the poor
implementation of the wonderful policy
Private hospitals
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There should be high control over the
functioning of private hospitals by the state
There should be perfect billing and high
transparency
Organ donation
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It is decided to form organ donors club after
getting all the information's and procedures
from the state
Medical care for pregnant women
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This is the need of the hour
Free medical treatment should be given right
from the day of conception
Government hospitals
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Should be fully furnished
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Availability of 24 hours service
Altruism
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This is natural
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This can also be nurtured
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No clear cut decision
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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Prof. T. Mathavan,
Head, Dept Of Physics
NMSSVN college, Nagamalai, Madurai