Question

This week you studied bioethical issues as they relate to the healthcare worker. For this week's assignment, conduct independent research (outside of your text) for current bioethical issues. Provide three examples of current, bioethical issues and explain the surrounding ethical issues. For the second part of your paper, discuss the importance of the conscience clause. Should healthcare workers and facilities have the ability to refuse to perform certain procedures based on moral or religious objections?

Answer 1

Bioethics is a field of study about moral & ethical issues which result from progress in biological and medical sciences.

Examples of advancement which lead to bio ethical issues are

1. Artificial insemination:
2. Organ donation
3. End of life care
4. Surrogacy
5. Cloning

Artificial insemination : Bioethical issues occur due to new reproductive technologies. In this technology reproduction occurs without sex through various technically feasible collaborative means which shatters our traditional values. Our belief systems are questioned. Eventhough there are more laws and restrictions ,it is a noncoital conception which may lead to psychological issues, doubt between couples. There are certain examples that sometimes this technology use sperms which doesn't belong to the male partner ,which is very illegal. The couples may not know about this, ending they raise someone's child.

Organ donation: Organ donation has raised many ethical and societal issues at present. It is an advancement which can be life saving and also be illegal. There is a big necessity for organ transplants , in the same time there is big shortage of organs for transplants. Illegal organ stealing occurs without consent of people . Human trafficking is a big issue at present which is done for earning illegally due to organ transplants .

End of life care: Aged people are given quality care currently due to advancement in technologies. These advanced technologies prolong the life but quality of life may decrease. The patient may suffer from pain and psychological issues. Don't resuscitate policy signed by patient or relatives also creates an ethical issue .

Conscience clause are legal clauses which allows pharmacists, physicians, and/or other providers of health care from providing certain medical services due to religion or conscience in some countries like USA.

For example if a couple has a unplanned pregnancy , they opt for abortion .It is their decision and the physician won't oppose it or refuse to abort telling his conscience issues . But if the woman is more than 24 weeks , physician can't carry out an abortion as it is against law. At that time people should give time for the healthcare providers to think their conscience and do which is good for promoting quality of life.

Of course healthcare workers and facilities have the ability to refuse to perform certain procedures based on moral or religious objections or else we will come across more clones , genetically modified children , decreased population due to more abortions, lack of family life because a female can reproduce a child by noncoital conception.