Oxford Handbook of Medical Ethics and Law (Oxford Medical Handbooks)

The Oxford Handbook of Medical Ethics and law provides a practical and accessible guide to the legal and ethical issues which a medical professional might face. It explains the major ethical theories - consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics and principlism -and presents a method for moral decision-making, based on the application of theory and critical reasoning. The books sets out the key legal principles governing medical practice including the obtaining of consent; the law of negligence; the principles of confidentiality; the law on organ donation; and the legal regulation of end of life. The book goes on to present a number of ‘real life’ situations in which the ethical and legal principles are applied in a concrete and clear way. The book also contains extracts from the key legislation governing the practice of medicine. "Doctors have been concerned with ethics since the earliest days of medical practice. Traditionally, medical practitioners have been expected to be motivated by a desire to help their patients. Ethical codes and systems, such as the Hippocratic Oath, have emphasised this. During the latter half of the 20th century, advances in medical science, in conjunction with social and political changes, meant that the accepted conventions of the doctor/patient relationship were increasingly being questioned. After the Nuremberg Trials, in which the crimes of Nazi doctors, among others, were exposed, it became clear that doctors cannot be assumed to be good simply by virtue of their profession. Not only this, but doctors who transgress moral boundaries can harm people in the most appalling ways"-- Provided by publisher This handbook provides a practical and accessible guide to the legal and ethical issues which a medical professional might face. It explains the major ethical theories - consequentialism, deontology, virtue ethics and principlism - and presents a method for moral decision-making, based on the application of theory and critical reasoning. The text sets out the key legal principles governing medical practice including the obtaining of consent; the law of negligence; the principles of confidentiality; the law on organ donation; and the legal regulation of end of life. The book goes on to present a number of 'real life' situations in which the ethical and legal principles are applied in a concrete and clear way. The book also contains extracts from the key legislation governing the practice of medicine The Oxford Handbook of Medical Ethics and Law is the definitive guide to the legal and ethical issues around medical and surgical practice. It is written with the busy clinician in mind who will not have time to read lengthy and complex legal or philosophical documents but requires the key information presented without technical jargon in a handy quick-reference style. The handbook also includes a substantial number of examples taken from a wide variety of specialties with the relevant legal and ethical issues clearly explained, so that the reader can see how these principles play out in day-to-day patient care. Both medical students and current professionals will find this an essential practical resource.