Synonyms
Medical ethics; Moral philosophy; Research ethics
Definition
Bioethics is the study of ethical issues in biological science, health care, and health policy.
Introduction
Bioethics, as a field, has focused on a wide variety of topics, from the allocation of scarce health resources, to debates over what constitutes life, to genetic engineering. Although bioethics is primarily concerned with human well-being, it can also confront ethical dilemmas pertaining to the nonhuman biological environment. It is difficult to ascertain definite limits of the discipline of bioethics, as some bioethicists feel that the field should encompass all ethical matters pertaining to biology and medicine, while others prefer to narrow the scope. Undoubtedly, the field of bioethics continues to grow and present new challenges with emerging scientific breakthroughs, such as cloning, gene therapy, and reproductive technologies.
There is a cost to this profound advancement. While mankind has made...
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References
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Burke, L.H. (2018). Bioethics and Health Policy. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20928-9_3051
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20928-9_3051
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