Question

Consider the following case:

Antibiotic for a Child's Otitis Media

[Taken from Veatch, et. al. 2015. Case Studies in Biomedical Ethics. Oxford University Press, page 96-97.]

Mrs. Linda Beauclair brought her 2-year-old son, Tommy, to the pediatrician for an unscheduled visit because he had suffered ear pain and fever for two days. He had screamed most of the night, leading her to call Dr. Richard Rust early the next morning. He was able to work Tommy into his schedule at the end of the afternoon appointments.

Just as he had suspected, Dr. Rust fund a case of otitis media, typical of young children. Dr. Rust was certain that it was a common viral infection that would resolve in a few days. The medical evidence had accumulated, showing no long-term ill effects of what can be an unpleasant but relatively benign infection. He urged Mrs. Beauclair to keep Tommy away from other children but offered no medication.

Mrs. Beauclair asked rather aggressively if Tommy could have an antibiotic. She wanted to do something for him.

Dr. Rust explained that antibiotics were only effective against bacterial infections and that there was almost no chance that Tommy's ear problems were caused by bacteria. He also explained that extensive use of antibiotics when they are not necessary can lead to the development of resistant strains of bacteria. This could eventually mean that some child will develop an infection from the resistant strain and suffer consequences much more serious than Tommy's earache because antibiotics had been used too often to attempt to treat minor infections, especially those that the antibiotic is very unlikely to help.

Mrs. Beauclair responded by stating rather angrily that she was Tommy's mother, not the mother of all the children in the future. She pressed Dr. Rust on whether there was any chance--even a small one--that Tommy's infection was from a bacterium that could respond to the antibiotic. she wanted to do everything possible to make sure Tommy did not spend another night like he had spent the previous one.

Dr. Rust had always accepted the common wisdom that antibiotics were being overused and should be avoided except in cases in which they are necessary to avoid serious medical problems. The antibiotics, he believed should be saved for the truly most needy cases. Still, he acknowledged to himself that the risks of today's antibiotics are very low and that there was some small mathematical chance that Tommy had a bacterial infection thatwould respond to the antibiotic. He realized that, if he focused solely on his patient Mrs. Beauclair was making a good case. Mrs. Beauclair made him realize that, as a physician who had always believed in the Hippocratic Oath, his job was really more to sere the interests of his patient, just as a mother's job is to protect her child.  

Q: What would a utilitarian tell Dr. Rust to do? Explain.

Answer 1

Utilitarian means designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive . The utilitarian should say to Dr. Rust to start antivirals if applicable as a part of treatment and also to make Mrs. Beauclair understand that this is a case of otitis media caused by viral infection which needs rest and observation ,it will heal itself with time .