Medical Ethics: Rights and Obligations

Medical ethics is a system of moral principles applying values to the practice of clinical medicine and research. It is based on a set of values to which professionals can refer in case of any disagreement or conflict. Bioethicists refer to four basic principles of healthcare ethics when assessing the advantages, disadvantages and difficulties of medical procedures. For the practice of medicine to be considered 'ethical', it must take into account all four of these principles: autonomy, justice, beneficence and non-maleficence. Questions of medical ethics often involve the life and death of patients. Serious health issues of patient rights, informed consent, confidentiality and competence are raised. Ethics is not static and applies at all times. What was considered good ethics a hundred years ago may not be considered so today.