Impact of Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Ethics
Bioengineering focuses on the engineering of biological processes and systems in general which leads to a variety of both societal and ethical issues, bioengineering not only includes biomedical engineering but also agricultural engineering, food engineering and biotechnology as a whole which are all fields that are prone to a brighter ethics spotlight. This is due in part because biomedical engineering it itself a new field and there is currently no academic field that covers biomedical engineering ethics.
Biomedical engineers differ from medical practitioners but are similar to other engineers, in that they are involved in research for and development of new technology, and do not tend to engage in the study, diagnosis and treatment of patients specifically. However biomedical engineers are still responsible for the health of their end users and thus the ethical responsibilities of biomedical engineers are combined with those of a traditional engineer and medical professional, including a responsibility to adhere to general ethical standards in research and development of technology.
The ethics
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With the recent advancements in CRISPR it has been discovered that a cure to cancer might be closer than we thought with researchers already having success. It has also been found that genetic engineering could potentially eradicate HIV and other retroviruses that hid within the human DNA making it difficult for traditional therapies to solve the issue. The positives to biomedical at the current time far outweigh the negatives however there is potential for things to change if the technology and knowledge falls into the wrong
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.
... been beneficial to humans by improving the lives of those who have potentially fatal diseases. In the future of stem cells research more and more fatal diseases will be cured because of the technology gained from stem cells research. That’s why we need to keep on researching stem cells.
One of the most necessary uses of genetic engineering is tackling diseases. As listed above, some of the deadliest diseases in the world that have yet to be conquered could ultimately be wiped out by the use of genetic engineering. Because there are a great deal of genetic mutations people suffer from it is impractical that we will ever be able to get rid of them unless we involve genetic engineering in future generations (pros and cons of genetic eng). The negative aspect to this is the possible chain reaction that can occur from gene alteration. While altering a gene to do one thing, like cure a disease, there is no way of knowing if a different reaction will occur at the cellular or genetic level because of it; causing another problem, possibly worse than the disease they started off with (5 pros and cons of gen. eng.). This technology has such a wide range of unknown, it is simply not safe for society to be condoning to. As well as safety concerns, this can also cause emotional trauma to people putting their hopes into genetic engineering curing their loved ones, when there is a possibility it could result in more damage in the
Ethics in the medical field are very important and should be taken seriously. As a medical professional you will tested daily on making the best choices, using good judgment and being morally responsible for your actions. There are nine principles in the Code of Medical Ethics that in general make up the primary code. As a medical professional you must always consider what is in the best interest of the patient. Code of medical ethics of the American Medical Association, (2012). When determining the proper “Patient-Physician Relationship, the relationship between the patient and physician is based on trust and gives rise to the physicians’ ethical obligations to place a patients’ welfare above their own self-interest” Code of medical ethics of the American Medical Association, (2012).
In this diverse society we are confronted everyday with so many ethical choices in provision of healthcare for individuals. It becomes very difficult to find a guideline that would include a border perspective which might include individual’s beliefs and preference across the world. Due to these controversies, the four principles in biomedical ethic which includes autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice help us understand and explain which medical practices are ethical and acceptable. These principles are not only used to protect the rights of a patient but also the physician from being violated.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, biomedical engineers “develop devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems by combining their knowledge of biology and medicine with engineering principles and practices.” Biomedical engineers are expected to have employment growth of 72 percent over the projections decade, much faster than the average for all occupations. The employment growth is very high even compared to other engineers.
To reiterate, bioengineering will bring hope to the people who are in need of organ and body replacements in order to live a completed life. They will no longer need to wait weeks, months, or years for transplants that may or may not be given to them on time. Bioengineering will help solve medical problems of human beings using engineering concepts. Bioengineers will not only help the person’s medical complication, but it will also help their mentality, of feeling better about themselves and avoiding suicidal thoughts. I believe that bioengineering will create a new world where transplant lists will be immensely reduced, a world where there will be fewer disabilities, and a world where many lives will be saved. Bioengineering will change the world.
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?
The term bioethics refers to the moral principles used when one is making a decision while in the healthcare field. It is the moral compass that humans use to decide what is the right thing to do versus the wrong thing to do when faced with an ethical dilemma. These decisions may be based on principles, reasoning, personal beliefs, emotions, natural science, or other influential factors.
The term “Bioethics” can be divided into two Greek root words that are “Bios” which means life as a whole, and “Ethos” which is about spirit of a culture and how it relates to nature. What this means is that the word as a whole means that the Ethos of a community should be coherent with helping and protecting life (Galindo). Although this term has existed for centuries and was originally created by the Greeks, the ethics themselves were officially first established in the 1970s when the “Knowledge Society” started to develop which was the effect of when new technological and scientific discoveries started affecting the community as a whole. Since that time the area of research has grown and scientists have found that they may even find cures for most of the illness that are most feared by humans (cancer, Parkinson’s, etc.). The down side to this research is that it causes many ethical issues, but there is no legal or established restriction that can stop them from doing it or that can prove that it shouldn´t be done.
Health care providers are faced with bioethical issues every day when caring for a wide variety of patients. Bioethical principles are outlined in order to help these professionals provide the best possible care for their clients. The first principle focuses on the autonomy of individuals. This is the foundation of “informed consent” that is required before performing any medical care on a patient. The patient must completely understand the benefits and risks associated with any medical acts and make their own decision. The second principle states that no intentional harm or injury to the patient can result from the medical decision. This principle of nonmaleficence helps set standards of care to prevent wrongdoing. Beneficence is the third bioethical principle that states that it is the responsibility of the health care provider to benefit the patient. The fourth bioethical principle refers to justice and that each patient is treated with fairness. Every patient is entitled to impartial medical care to ensure the appropriate distribution of goods and services (McCormick, 2013). These bioethical principles help guide health care professionals when making difficult decisions related to controversial topics and practices.
Ethics is the moral behavior that guides our actions; it motivates us in our personal behavior and is relevant in a business setting as well. Many organizations have set forth a set of guidelines known as a “Code of Ethics”. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, being one of these organizations, has set forth their code as a requirement for students and engineer members to adhere to. Heading towards a career in electrical engineering I choose this organization to elaborate on for my ethics project.
Medical ethics refers to the relationship between health professionals and patients. The trust of patients in physicians has been vanishing. Today a lot of health care providers primary concerns seem to be in profit rather than in providing the proper healthcare to the public. Medical ethics consist of several different principles. Nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and autonomy are just a few of the many principals. Nonmaleficence enacts that a health care providers, can never use treatment to injure or wrong their patients. Beneficence claims that health care providers are obligated to help others further their interest. Justice requires health providers treat every patient as equal and provide equal treatment for everyone with the same
Engineering ethics focuses on the behavior of the individual - the engineer, and the development of ethical standards governing their professional activities. Engineering ethics has always existed as a set of rules or a system that governs the behavior of an engineer. Among its main provisions, we can attribute such as the need to faithfully perform engineering work that would bring welfare and do not cause harm to people; be accountable for engineering professional activities; a good relationship ( customs and rules governing relations ) with other engineer, etc.
A mechanical engineer is expected by profession to be on the frontline in the transformation of an idea from its design to marketplace (Van et al, 2011). The engineers are expected to understand the different types of forces that exist in the environment of the product they are manufacturing and its subsystems determine the best way to manufacture it so that it can perform without failure when implemented. According to (Van et al, 2011), mechanical engineers play central roles in industries such as aerospace industries and biotechnologies. This requires them to observe engineering ethics as professionals. The ethics are there to make an engineer be able to weigh the benefit that may result from completion of the project against the possible risks.