Ethical Topics in Healthcare

Countless ethical issues arise in medicine and health care, including decisions about the end of life, the beginning of life and altering disease and health. Since health care concerns a person's well-being and very existence, many people hold passionate views on the ethics of health care. Medical ethics will continue to see new debates arise as scientists produce new developments and technologies.

End-of-Life Decisions

• The ethical debate continues regarding the role of medicine in end-of-life decisions. With more advanced medical technology, patients have more options for prolonging life. Unfortunately, treatment for illnesses such as heart disease or cancer can have serious side effects or leave the patient more debilitated than before the treatment. A terminally ill patient also faces questions about the provision of medical care. Some physicians or ethical researchers contend that medical treatment should not be used in a situation where a decrease in quality of life would result. Others counter that withholding treatment is unethical. Assisted suicide is another issue that stems from this debate, concerning whether or not medicine should be used to end suffering by ending life.

Resource Allocation

• The health care system costs the government about 18 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, or $2.5 trillion, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Despite these figures, health care dollars are not distributed equally among Americans. For example, insured elderly people spend thousands more dollars per person on health care than someone who is uninsured. According to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, over 65 million Americans reside in an area where there is a shortage of health care providers. Many medical treatments, such as dialysis and heart bypasses, benefit far fewer people but cost far more than less expensive primary care. People continue to debate how to allocate health care dollars in an equitable and fair manner.

Genetics

• Since scientists completed the Human Genome Project (HGP) in 2003, they have learned even more about how genes are inherited, expressed and manipulated. The question remains as to what (if anything) to do with the rapid advances in the field of genetics. Genetic testing prompts the need for consideration of privacy issues, potential discrimination against a person with unfavorable results and appropriate care of the patient and his family. Questions about future technologies also arise. Genetic technology could someday be able to change genes that cause diseases. It could also be used in changing less serious ailments such as allergies and acne or even change hair color. Scientists, governments and societies will have to decide how genetic technology should be used.

Informed Consent

• Informed consent is the obligation of health care providers to ensure that the patient understands the treatment options and can exercise autonomy over decisions regarding his care. An ethical debate often arises if the patient is mentally challenged or disadvantaged. The patient may not understand the information being presented or may feel pressure to comply with the physician's recommendation. This issue is especially notable in research, where participants are often paid for taking part in a medical study. Whether or not informed consent can be properly applied -- and the risks understood by the patient -- remains a topic of debate.