Question

Discuss the application of the biomedical ethical principle of autonomy to medical decision making. Provide an example of a patient’s assertion of her right of self-determination. Provide an example of ethical conflict owing to the rights of a patient as an autonomous agent.

Answer 1

In medical practice, autonomy is usually expressed as the right of competent adults to make informed decisios about their medical care.The Principe underlies the requirement to seek the consent or informed agreement of the patient before any investigation or treatment takes place.

A best example is written consent of a patient is needed for any surgery or invasive procedures.

An ethic of care would concentrate on the implications of the virtue of caring in the obstetrician-gynecologist special relationship with the pregnant women and with the fetus. The relationship between pregnant women and fetus as adversarial, acknowledging the most of the time women are paradigmatically invested in their fetus well being and that maternal and fetal interests usually are aligned. a real conflict does exist, the obstetrician -gy ecologist should resist feeling the need to take one side or the other.