BIOETHICAL ISSUES

Ethics: is a field of knowledge that helps individuals exercise moral judgement and determine what
is right and wrong.
- Working system of moral principles
- Helps us question our and others’ actions
Applied ethics: the application of ethical theories to real-life moral problems and contexts.
* ethical situations usually arise when different stakeholders have different opinions of what’s right
or wrong and must choose how to act.

Ethics’ importance in biology:

An important part of ‘doing science’ is also how you apply that knowledge in a way that maximises
ethical outcomes. This requires scientists to engage in metathinking
metathinking: the practice of reflecting upon and evaluating the way we think, including the
different strategies and tools for problem–solving and learning.
- Ethics is deeply embedded and integrated within scientific education, and involves active
learning and practice on the part of the developing scientist.
- Scientists use these ethical frameworks they learn to help guide their decision–making
process and justify their actions.

What is a bioethical issue?

Biologists frequently use bioethics in their work across interdisciplinary fields, including
biotechnology, healthcare research, etc. In the course of this work, biologists are often confronted
with bioethical issues, which are specific ethical dilemmas pertaining to biology.

bioethics: the study of ethical issues pertaining to biology and medicine

bioethical issue: an ethical dilemma pertaining to biology that typically involves a decision–making
process between two or more choices or options for an action
bioethical approach: a decision–making framework that helps guide ethical behaviour
ethical concept: a specific perspective or lens used to consider multiple angles of an ethical dilemma

A bioethical issue can be recognised because it will usually involve a decision–making

process between two or more options for action, each of which will require some form of
ethical justification
Example: ‘I should do X in this scenario, as it means that Y will occur’.
- The options available in these scenarios are usually in conflict with one another and can be
evaluated using different approaches to bioethics and ethical concepts.
- The approaches help the individual consider the social, economic, legal, and political factors
that might be relevant when deciding what is ethical and unethical
APPROACHES TO BIOETHICS
What is an approach to bioethics:
- Because bioethics is often ‘applied’, scientists need specific tools to help them make
informed ethical decisions.
- One type of tool scientists can use is approaches to bioethics, which are decision–making
frameworks that help guide ethical behaviour.

Approaches to bioethics:
consequences–based approach: an approach to bioethics that aims to maximise positive outcomes
while minimising negative outcomes
- Key terms: outcomes, benefits, consequences, effects
duty– and/or rule-based approach: an approach to bioethics that promotes the responsibility of the
agent above all else, and places importance on the duty of each individual
- Key terms: obligation, duty, responsibility, commitment
virtues–based approach: an approach to bioethics that emphasises the individual goodness of the
agent, and promotes acting in accordance with the values of a ‘moral’ person, such as honesty and
compassion
- Key terms: any reference to virtues, such as good, honest, caring

These three approaches here serve as broad frameworks for considering a bioethical issue and help
guide us when considering the potential of different outcomes.

Why are approaches to bioethics important:

Some of the ways a bioethical approach might be useful when considering a bioethical issue:
- Identifying the issue:
Why is this an important bioethical concern?
Why are we considering this?
- Exploring the issue in the context
What situational factors surround the issue?
What do we need to be aware of?
- Considering different perspectives
Who are the stakeholders involved in this issue?
What do they think and how might this affect them?
- Deciding on a position or course of action
What is the most ethical way to proceed?
What position am I going to take on this issue?
- Reflecting on the chosen course of action
How did my position or course of action affect stakeholders?
What was the impact of my judgement?
Do I need to revise my position?
ETHICAL CONCEPTS
What are ethical concepts and why are they important:
- As well as the three overarching approaches to bioethics, there are also a variety of ethical
concepts that may be used in the exploration of bioethical issues.
- Each concept serves as a unique perspective or lens for considering different angles of an
ethical dilemma and may be used either in isolation or in conjunction with each other
alongside the three approaches in the previous section.

Integrity: the commitment to knowledge.

- Internally consistent, honest and having strong moral principles
- This concept encourages individuals to act honestly and truthfully, especially when
presenting their findings or results.
- Integrity prioritises an accurate understanding and representation of the facts, whether
favourable or unfavourable to an individual’s personal position, and encourages scrutiny and
criticism.

Justice: the commitment to fairness.

- Doing what’s morally right & fair and believing in treating people in a way that is deserving
and appropriate to the circumstances.
- This concept encourages consideration of different people’s opinions and positions,
especially those directly affected or marginalised by a course of action.
- Justice prioritises the fair distribution of resources, as well as equal access to the benefits of
an action, policy, investigation, or research.

Beneficence: the commitment to maximising benefits.

- This concept encourages individuals to act in a way that benefits others.
- Beneficence promotes the personal well-being and good of other persons, particularly direct
stakeholders such as patients and research subjects.

Non–maleficence: the commitment to minimising harm.

- This concept encourages individuals to act in ways that remove as much harm as possible.
- Indeed, while actions may always involve some degree of possible harm, non–maleficence
prioritises minimising this harm, sometimes to the detriment of people’s freedom of choice
and autonomy.

Respect: the commitment to consideration.

- This concept encourages individuals to consider the value of others, including their personal
welfare, beliefs, freedom, and autonomy.
- Respect prioritises the freedom of others to make their own decisions and be protected from
persecution or exploitation.
THEORY SUMMARY
- Ethics is a system of knowledge that deals with our personal understanding of right and
wrong.
- We need to be aware of different strategies and tools to help us think and behave ethically
These include three bioethical approaches and five bioethical concepts.
- Each approach serves as an overarching framework for tackling a bioethical issue.
- The bioethical concepts may be used in conjunction with these frameworks, or indeed as
standalone means for evaluating a position or course of action.