The Inescapable Relevance of Bioethics for the Practicing Clinician
Abstract
Key points 1. Historically, medical ethics focused on the proper conduct of physicians as members of a profession. 2. Bioethics has emerged as a distinct field over the past several decades and has a broader scope than traditional medical ethics. The field of bioethics includes research ethics, public health ethics, organizational ethics, and clinical ethics. 3. Several factors contributed to the emergence of bioethics, helping to shape it, including the following: abuses of human subjects in research; advances in medical therapeutics and medical technology; and complex societal changes. 4. Principlism is an important approach to ethics, and in bioethics it includes the following core principles: respect for autonomy; beneficence; nonmaleficence; and justice. 5. Clinical ethics is a major part of bioethics and is concerned with ethical issues encountered in the care of patients. 6. Clinicians should recognize that every interaction between a doctor and a patient has a moral component, and that competency in bioethics is required to competently practice medicine. 7. Deficiencies exist in bioethics knowledge and performance among practicing clinicians and trainees; therefore, bioethics education is needed for learners at all levels (i.e., medical students, trainees, and practicing clinicians). 8. Bioethics is a dynamic, multidisciplinary field with several dedicated journals, a national organization, and numerous centers and institutes. 9. Important scholarly work in bioethics, both empirical and conceptual, is being conducted and disseminated, providing important information for practicing clinicians.
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Over time the medical profession's standards have shifted away from a myopic focus on beneficence and professional conduct, and towards other duties owed to patients, most notably a growing respect for autonomy.
“Over time the profession's standards have shifted away from this myopic focus on beneficence and professional conduct, and towards other duties owed to patients, most notably a growing respect for autonomy.”
From Principles alone cannot guarantee ethical AI (2019) · cites this paper as [34]
In Western biomedicine, longstanding standards set in the Hippocratic Oath, the Declaration of Geneva, the Declaration of Helsinki, and other accounts of the 'good' health professional have served as a basis for clinical decision-making and research ethics, and inspired the development of ethics and codes in other professions.
“In Western biomedicine, longstanding standards set in the Hippocratic Oath, the Declaration of Geneva, the Declaration of Helsinki, and other accounts of the 'good' health professional have served as a basis for clinical decision-making and research ethics, 34 and inspired the development of ethics and codes in other professions.”
From Principles alone cannot guarantee ethical AI (2019) · cites this paper as [34]
A goal-oriented educational program has been shown to improve learner awareness, attitudes, knowledge, moral reasoning, and confidence.
“A goal-oriented educational program [2] (Table 1) has been shown to improve learner awareness, attitudes, knowledge, moral reasoning, and confidence [3,4].”
From Principles of Clinical Ethics and Their Application to Practice (2021) · cites this paper as [2]
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References 77 · Cited by 59
- Authors
- Carrese, J. A., & Sugarman, J.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Carrese, Joseph A.
- Venue
- Chest
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-12
- Volume
- 130
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1864-1872
- ISSN
- 0012-3692 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2015479292
- Cited by
- 59
- References
- 77
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 3.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- CHEST Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Ethics in medical practice
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics in Clinical Research
- Keywords
- bioethics, clinical ethics, medical ethics, principlism, respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, history of bioethics, research ethics, public health ethics, organizational ethics, bioethics education, clinician competence, physician-patient relationship
- MeSH terms
- Bioethics, Curriculum, Education, Medical, Ethics, Medical, Health Policy, Humans, Morals, Physician-Patient Relations, Truth Disclosure, United States, Cultural Diversity, Bioethical Issues, Ethics, Clinical, Ethics, Research
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