Bioethics and Health Care

1562 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Water fluoridation controversy

INTRODUCTION:

The controversy with community water fluoridation arises from moral, ethical, political and safety concerns with respect to water fluoridation. As far back as 1930, there was a relationship inversely between the levels of fluoride in drinking water and existence of dental caries. Any practice like fluoridation, which uses the public water supply to deliver the medicine violated the medical ethics. The ethical issues associated with the water fluoridation include- balancing risks and benefits, presence of any other interventions with the same outcome, the role of consent. Fluoridation violates the principle of informed consent. On the other hand, in public health practice the principle of beneficence has more weight than the principle of autonomy.

There were two objections because the fluoridation of water has some undesirable side effects such as development of Down syndrome and Cancer in the areas where fluoridated water is supplied. Apart from this, the second objection was allied to it being a compulsory medication. Opponents insist compulsory community water fluoridation violates the ethical principle of autonomy. Objection due to suspicion of more amount of fluoride which leads to cancer is justifiable with the ethical principle of Non-maleficence. However, it is not actually based on scientific aspects. The second objection i.e. compulsory medication is related to the principle “autonomy” this demonstrates the controversy between the principle of autonomy and positive effects of community water fluoridation (beneficence).

However, in Britain (1985), the report of the working committee on fluoridation of water and cancer has no evidence in development of cancer in association with fluoridation of water. An...

... middle of paper ...

...1-6

Harris, J. The Ethics of Fluoridation. Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, University of Manchester.

Howrad C, D. L. (2001). The Science and Ethics of Water Fluoridation. Journal of Canadian Dental Association, 67(10), 578-580.

K. Anand, N. B., D. Moorthy, S. K. Kapoor, R. Sankar, C. S. Pandav. (2002). Ethical Issues in Public Health Policy. The National Medical Journal of India, 15(2), 97-100.

Stilwell WF, E. N., Stainton PVE. (1957). Commission of Inquiry on the Fluoridation of Public Water Supplies. Wellington.

Susheela AK, K. A., Bhatnagar M, Bahadur. (1993). Prevalence of endemic fluorosis with gastro intestinal manifestations in people living in some North-Indian villages. Fluoride, 26(2), 97-104.

. Water Fluoridation in New Zealand. An Analysis and Monitoring Report. (1994). Wellington: Public Health Commission Rangapu Hauora Tumatanui.

Show More
Related

  • Persuasive Speech Outline On Fluoride

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    [Transition: Since fact states that fluoride is a toxin, we should easily be able to reach the conclusion that it most likely causes damaging effects to the

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Fluoridation Of Water

    1754 Words  | 4 Pages

    All water sources, whether fresh or salt, have varying levels of fluoride (Awofeso, 2012). Around 1945 it was discovered that communities with higher rates of naturally occurring fluoride had lower rates of tooth decay (Dean, 1938) which resulted in the addition of artificial fluoride to public water supplies. The incidence of tooth decay fell drastically in fluoridated communities as a result, leading to widespread adoption of public water fluoridation as a public health strategy.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech Against Fluoride

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    We often say how lucky we are to live in a place where we have access to safe water at any time but what if that was questioned? What if our water isn’t safe; it’s just that now we can’t see the dangers? Throughout the world 25 first world countries fluoridate some amount of their water artificially; almost half of these countries have the majority of their population drinking this chemically enhanced liquid every single day. In the UK 11% of us only have access to fluoridated water [70% in Ireland], and in the USA its 60%. After a quick browse on Google, the information about fluoride that can be learned from the NHS is mainly about teeth and tooth decay as fluoride is put in our toothpaste due to its claimed abilities to help tooth enamel fight attack [nothing has ever alluded to supporting this claim]. What can’t be seen at

    Read More

  • A Bioethical Decision

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nathaniel Wu, a talented and dedicated microbiologist, should be hired for the Intercontinental Pharmaceutical Company (ICP) under certain conditions. Wu, who was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, was seen as the ideal candidate for the employment position the IPC was offering until this inconvenience was unveiled. To offer Wu employment unconditionally is extremely risky for the medical costs and equipment damages he can bring to the company can be devastating; to deny Wu employment entirely is a violation of bioethics and discrimination, for he was already offered the job position conditionally before taking medical tests. By offering Wu employment under certain conditions, Wu can be part of the IPC and have him employment terminated as soon as his condition begins interfering with his work quality.

    Read More

  • The Conspiracy of Water Fluoridation

    2840 Words  | 6 Pages

    The fluoridation debate results from a visible conflict of paradigms; profluoridationists seek to protect the communal good, while antifluoridationists defend individual rights. According to William Gamson, “Antifluoridation literature is frequently concerned with… intrusion of government into private realms and with violation of individual liberty and choice” (Gamson, 527). Such concerns are often embodied in the characterizations of fluoridation as mass medication and socialized medicine. One expression identifies water treatment as a violation of free choice while the other po...

    Read More

  • Fluoride Argumentative Essay

    920 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fluoride is being overused in the United States and there needs to be a stop to it. With all the problems it is causing, the limit being used should be something everyone should worry about. Many think fluoride is good for you because it whitens your teeth, and dentist offer it every time you go there, but clearly it is not. Fluoride does help with a lot of things like mottling of teeth and whitening teeth, but health problems are occurring, and it needs to come to a stop. Department of Health and Human Services have recommended a level of 0.7 milligrams per liter as a optimal for fluoride in drinking water throughout the United States. (State of Washington) Clearly, they are using more than normal that is it starting to cause a lot of health problems. To finalize, fluoride is being overused in the US, and there needs to be a stop to

    Read More

  • Tooth Cavity Research Paper

    450 Words  | 1 Pages

    Improper nutrition and misbalance in our body may be the causes for tooth decay. Always pay attention to your nutrition when your teeth are considered, instead of choosing fluoride or dentistry. Our health can also be in danger when fluoride is used, even though the main reason for using fluoride is to make the teeth stronger. According to a recent study, mental disabilities are often made more difficult with the usage of fluoride. Among fluoride, mercury and arsenic are also dangerous in cases of autism

    Read More

  • Utilitarian Bioethics

    515 Words  | 2 Pages

    My brother deserves to die. My grandmother should have died sooner than she did. My brother is autistic, cannot speak, and cannot even completely dress himself-he makes no visible contribution to society-therefore he should not be allowed to live. My grandmother had Alzheimer's disease, slipped into a coma after Valentine's Day, and was placed on a feeding tube until she finally passed on two days before my 16th birthday-but she should not have been allowed to waste my family's money and stay in the hospital for weeks. My family should have just let her die and get over with it.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Fluoride

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    Seventy percent of the US population now receives fluoridated drinking water, an industrial grade level chemical most commonly associated with the prevention of tooth decay, and in Virginia especially, 95.7% of all public water is fluoridated (CDC). I present this numbers to your concern because for something that is almost in all public drinking water, it is not informed to the average Virginia citizen, but that is not the primary issue I am addressing you for. My main matter of concern is that more recent studies performed by scientist in the US and abroad are now finally advocating decade old cautions back then just acknowledged as unsubstantial research or even myths on how rather potentially hazardous the fluoridation of water is for

    Read More

  • Medical Ethics

    776 Words  | 2 Pages

    Physician-assisted suicide refers to the physician acting indirectly in the death of the patient -- providing the means for death. The ethics of PAS is a continually debated topic. The range of arguments in support and opposition of PAS are vast. Justice, compassion, the moral irrelevance of the difference between killing and letting die, individual liberty are many arguments for PAS. The distinction between killing and letting die, sanctity of life, "do no harm" principle of medicine, and the potential for abuse are some of the arguments in favor of making PAS illegal. However, self-determination, and ultimately respect for autonomy are relied on heavily as principle arguments in the PAS issue.

    Read More

  • Bioethics in Medicine, Exemplified by the Karen Ann Quinlan Case

    877 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is accepted that the advances in resuscitation techniques, initiated and influenced the evolution of bioethics by bringing to the fore the questions of:

    Read More

  • Rights to Water

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    This is because only a small part of the population, particularly in developing countries, have access to water of acceptable quality. It is estimated that in some countries only 20% of the rural population has water of satisfactory quality. Based on these statistics, it is clear the urgent need for awareness about caring for water use. Almost without realizing it, we are seriously jeopardizing this essential resource, not for us but for our children's children and their generations, aware that in other parts o...

    Read More

  • Bioethics

    1906 Words  | 4 Pages

    The case of Dr. Lowell and Mrs. Jackson revolves around a conflict between the doctor, who advocates the implementation of a particular treatment and the patient who disagrees with the doctor and wishes to do things her own way. The doctor feels that the suggested course of action is disastrous and threatens to have the patient declared mentally incompetent. The question now is whether or not the doctor is morally justified in taking action against the patient in order to implement the course of treatment she feels would be most effective. Is this an infringement on the autonomy of the patient or is the doctor morally obliged to do everything that he/she can possible do in order to restore the patient’s health even if that includes to go so far as to take this decision out of the hands of the patient?

    Read More

  • Environmental Health Case Study

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    There is nearly 1 billion people who do not have access to clean drinking water (Jones, MM 11/9/2016). Low income families are not likely to have access to water within the immediate area, so women and children are forced to travel long distances in order to gather water that is not clean at all (11/9/2016). Not only is the travel dangerous, but it takes away time from children to be getting an education (11/9/2016). Some possible adverse health effects from drinking contaminated water include diarrhea, dehydration, and even death (11/9/2016). Infants are much more sensitive to the bacteria in the water given their undeveloped immune system, which is why water related illnesses is one of the leading causes of deaths for infants without clean drinking water (11/9/2016). There are interventions being undergone to help improve access to safe drinking water. For example, wells are being installed closer to people’s homes to avoid the long and treacherous walk to an already contaminated water supply (11/9/2016). Not needing to travel for hours every day allows children and women the time to get educated (11/9/2016). Another, more expensive intervention, is a water filtration system (11/9/2016). The government of each country should invest money towards these interventions as an investment towards improving the quality of life, creating a more educated society, and reducing medical costs

    Read More

  • Essay On Toothpaste

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel and remineralize enamel in the early stages of tooth decay.

    Read More

More about Bioethics and Health Care

Open Document