Principles of Biomedical Ethics

Principles of Biomedical Ethics provides a highly original, practical, and insightful guide to morality in the health professions. Acclaimed authors Tom L. Beauchamp and James F. Childress thoroughly develop and advocate for four principles that lie at the core of moral reasoning in health care: respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice. Drawing from contemporary research--and integrating detailed case studies and vivid real-life examples and scenarios--they demonstrate how these prima facie principles can be expanded to apply to various conflicts and dilemmas, from how to deliver bad news to whether or not to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments.

Ideal for courses in biomedical ethics, bioethics, and health care ethics, the text is enhanced by hundreds of annotated citations and a substantial introduction that clarifies key terms and concepts.

Tom L. Beauchamp is Professor of Philosophy and Senior Research Scholar at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University.

James F. Childress is University Professor & John Allen Hollingsworth Professor of Ethics at the University of Virginia.

Preface
PART I. MORAL FOUNDATIONS
1. Moral Norms
Normative and Nonnormative Ethics
The Common Morality as Universal Morality
Particular Moralities as Nonuniversal
Moral Dilemmas
A Framework of Moral Principles
Conflicting Moral Norms
2. Moral Character
The Concept of Moral Virtue
Virtues in Professional Roles
The Central Virtue of Caring
Five Focal Virtues
Moral Ideals
Moral Excellence
3. Moral Status
The Problem of Moral Status
Theories of Moral Status
From Theories to Practical Guidelines
The Moral Significance of Moral Status
Vulnerable Populations and Vulnerable Individuals
PART II. MORAL PRINCIPLES
4. Respect for Autonomy
The Concept of Autonomy and the Principle of Respect for Autonomy
The Capacity for Autonomous Choice
The Meaning and Justification of Informed Consent
Disclosure
Understanding
Voluntariness
Decision Making for Nonautonomous Patients
5. Nonmaleficence
The Concept and Principle of Nonmaleficence
Distinctions and Rules Governing Nontreatment Decisions
Optional Treatments and Obligatory Treatments
Killing and Letting Die
Intentionally Arranged Deaths: When, If Ever, Are They Justified?
Protecting Incompetent Patients from Harm
Whose Risks and Whose Benefits? Problems of Underprotection and Overprotection in Research
6. Beneficence
The Concept of Beneficence and Principles of Beneficence
Obligatory Beneficence and Ideal Beneficence
Paternalism: Conflicts between Beneficence and Respect for Autonomy
Balancing Benefits, Costs, and Risks
The Value and Quality of Life
7. Justice
The Concept of Justice and Principles of Justice
Traditional Theories of Justice
Two Theories Closely Connected to the Value of Health
Fair Opportunity and Unfair Discrimination
Vulnerability, Exploitation, and Discrimination in Research
National Health Policy and the Right to Health Care
Global Health Policy and the Right to Health
Allocating, Setting Priorities, and Rationing
8. Professional-Patient Relationships
Veracity
Privacy
Confidentiality
Fidelity
The Distinction between Clinical Ethics and Research Ethics
PART III. THEORY AND METHOD
9. Moral Theories
Criteria for Assessing Moral Theories
Utilitarian Theory
Kantian Theory
Rights Theory
Virtue Theory
Convergence of Theories
10. Method and Moral Justification
Justification in Ethics
Top-Down Models: Theory and Application
Bottom-Up Models: Cases and Analogical Reasoning
An Integrated Model: Reflective Equilibrium
Common-Morality Theory
Index