Evaluation of Fundamental Ethical Theories and Principles of Medical Ethics

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

Student of Islamic Education Teaching, Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute, Qom AND Faculty Member, Department of Islamic Education, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Basic ethics theories are the unfailing philosophical foundations and thoughts that formulate the origin of stable ethical principles. Regard to the effect of ethics on medical decisions, it is indispensable to explore these foundations in order to compile the principles of medical ethics. The aim of this research was to identify a framework for presenting the applied ethical principles in medicine.Methods: We reviewed resources of Muslim authorities and Western philosophical-ethical resources on the philosophical, ethical, juratory and interpretive issues. Through this exploration, the conformable viewpoints to medical ethics were clarified, described and analyzed by virtue of their content.Findings: Four ethical principles were obtained according to the Western perspective on the fundamentals and theories of basic ethics: “beneficence”, “non-maleficence”, “autonomy” and “justice” considered as the criteria for action in medical decision-making. According to the Islamic perspective, 8 ethical principles were obtained: “reliance”, “piety”, “respecting and dignity of patients”, “attracting profit”, “disposing the probable harm”, “authority”, “justice” and “charity”, among which, some has become influential on decision-making and some has become the criteria for adopting any measure in medicine.Conclusion: We found two basic differences between the Islamic and the non-Islamic ethical principles looking at the medical ethics principles: by virtue of basis or content. Hence, it is necessary to apply Islamic ethical principles that are taken from the Islamic ideology, juratory and philosophy in our healthcare centers as the Western countries in which their own ethical, philosophical and applied principles have been adopted and used in their healthcare centers.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Isfahan Medical School
Volume 31, Issue 258 - Serial Number 258
September and October 2013
Pages 1756-1768

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 May 2012
  • Revise Date: 26 May 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 April 2022

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