Ethics and Professional Decision Making

Question 1

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND MORALITY?

Answer 1

Morality is personal beliefs whereas ethics is a shared framework

Question 2

WHAT ARE BIOETHICS?

Answer 2

Ethics that relate to healthcare

Question 3

ETHICS AND PHARMACY PRACTICE

• Bioethics- the good of your patients
• Business ethics- profits and principles
• Health service ethics- service design,resource allocation and social justice.

Question 4

WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST COMMON PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACHES TO ETHICS IN OUR SOCIETY?

Answer 4

Deontology- emphasises duty and rules

Consequentialism (and utilitarianism)- emphasises consequences from the possible actions

Virtue ethics- emphasises the person and their moral character

Question 5

WHAT ARE THE FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES OF BIOETHICS?

Answer 5

• Respect for autonomy
• Beneficence
• Non-maleficence
• Justice

Question 6

THE FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES OF BIOETHICS

• Respect for autonomy- respect for the decision making capacities of an autonomous person
• Beneficence- ensuring that the benefits of treatment are greater than the risks
• Non-maleficence- avoiding harm to the patient. All treatment involves some harm but the harm should not be disproportionate to the benefits.
• Justice- distributing benefits, risks and costs fairly; patients in similar positions should be treated in a similar manner.

Question 7

WHAT IS ‘RESPECT FOR AUTONOMY’?

Answer 7

Respect for the decision-making capacities of autonomous persons

Question 8

WHAT IS BENEFICENCE?

Answer 8

Ensuring that the benefits of treatment are greater than the risks

Question 9

WHAT IS NON-MALEFICENCE?

Answer 9

Avoiding harm to the patient. All treatment involves some harm but the harm should not be disproportionate to the benefits

Question 10

WHAT IS JUSTICE?

Answer 10

Distributing benefits, risks and costs fairly; patients in similar positions should be treated in a similar manner