Watch this introductory video covering the principles of bioethics:
Four principles covered in the video:
1. Principle of self-determination, a.k.a. autonomy (exceptions include children and cognitive impairment) – the person who is affected gets to make the decision.
2. Maintaining bodily integrity – surgeries and procedures should only be done to benefit the patient (e.g. nose job - cosmetic surgery unnecessary, but okay for deviated septum; breast augmentation – cosmetic enlargement unnecessary, but okay for reconstruction of a breast following surgery for cancer).
3. Informed consent – patient must have all the pertinent information (including risks vs benefits of a treatment) at their disposal before they make their decision. Doctors needs to be truthful and realistic.
4. Confidentiality – important so that a person’s medical problems cannot be used against them (e.g.in getting a job)
More traditionally, there are four principles we think of in bioethics (some include Utility as a fifth principle):
1. Autonomy - the right to self-determination of what happens with your body.
2. Beneficence - the goal of promoting health.
3. Non-maleficence - first do no harm.
4. Justice - being fair in the distribution of healthcare resources.
5. Utility - balancing benefit over harm for the larger population.
Here’s a brief video covering a recap of these five principles:
References
Tittl, B. (2015, October 27). Medical Ethics Principles. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrHEOdHJ_2c
Chudkosky, A. (2018, April 15). 5 Principles in Bioethics. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Nn3MFbVU-U