PHLB09H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Paternalism, Categorical Imperative, Sepsis
Document Summary
Approaches to biomedical ethics: utilitarianism, categorical imperative, 4 principles approach. Principle of autonomy: respect the agency/self-determination of people, informed consent, avoid lying, avoid coercion. Respect for autonomy: respect for autonomy + beneficence, patient"s right to refuse treatment from a doctor other than their race. In general, the right to refuse treatment overrides considerations of beneficence. Negative duties: negative, can be fulfilled by refraining from some actions, avoid lying, avoid coercion, positive duties: can only be fulfilled by doing some action, obtain informed consent. Duties: duties that have a positive demand are weaker than duties that have a negative demand. It is worse to injure a patient then to refrain from treating a patient. Examples: nonmaleficence example: is to avoid unnecessarily harming patients. Example: while performing surgery on a patient"s nasal passage, a surgeon negligently fails to remove a cotton gauze used during the procedure, resulting in chronic pain for 6 months.
