The distinctiveness of medical ethics
Counterexamples | Duties of medical ethics | Common morality versus medical ethics |
1. Look after your own interests. | Act for the good of patients and society. | A moral ideal is transformed into a duty. |
2. Make choices your own way. | Base decisions on scientific evidence. | A moral ideal is transformed into a duty. |
3. Share information. | Confidentiality. | Permissible behaviour is impermissible. |
4. Judge the worth of others. | Non-judgmental regard. | Permissible behaviour is impermissible. |
5. Enjoy sexual interaction. | Non-sexual regard. | Permissible behaviour is impermissible. |
6. Mind your own business. | Probe (with examination, tests and questions). | Impermissible behaviour is a duty. |
7. Presume others have autonomy. | Assess decisional capacity. | Impermissible behaviour is a duty. |