Bioethics is everywhere in the news media today. Should people who refuse to
be vaccinated be treated if they catch COVID and end up in intensive care units when that may ...
MoreBioethics is everywhere in the news media today. Should people who refuse to
be vaccinated be treated if they catch COVID and end up in intensive care units when that may displace
vaccinated people with other serious conditions? Should states be allowed to restrict access to
abortion? Should women be paid to donate eggs? This book not only treats the most pressing bioethical
issues facing the public today but also provides a way for thinking about the issues. After covering the
philosophical foundations of bioethics, the authors go on to explain major moral theories and how they
can be used in critical assessment of ethical issues. Historical background is provided on the birth of
bioethics, as well as on the shift from a paternalistic approach to medical treatment to one that
respects patient autonomy, a fundamental value in contemporary bioethics. Subsequent chapters cover
advance directives, experimentation on human subjects, the definition of death, physician-assisted
dying, abortion, disability, just healthcare systems, the allocation of scarce resources, drug pricing,
assisted reproductive technology, egg donation, surrogate motherhood, sex selection, and the genetic
modification of humans. Each chapter considers controversial issues. The facts are explained and
different positions critically evaluated. While not every topic in bioethics can be covered in one
volume, most are, and, for topics not covered, suggested readings are provided.
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