Medical Ethics an Inclusice History - 2719 Words

Medical Ethics: An Inclusive History As long as there has been some form of medical treatment in the world, there has been someone who has voiced their ethical viewpoints on the treatment of patients. It is difficult to trace back the very first ethical thinking in medicine, but Islamic and Muslim traditions have left their footprints in Medical and Bioethics since before the medieval and early modern period. The first piece of literature ever dedicated to the field of medical ethics was written in the 9th Century by Ishaq bin Ali Rahawi and was titled Adab al-Tabib or Conduct of a Physician. Ali Rahawi reffered to physicians as guardians of the soul and body. One of the features in medieval Muslim medicine that separated their†¦show more content†¦Kevorkian made headlines internationally when he undertook a well publicized assisted-suicide campaign between 1990 and 1998 that reportedly ended the lives of approximately one hundred thirty people. Some of those whose deaths Kevorkian facilitated were termi nally ill and diagnosed as having less than six months to live, but most were disabled or chronically ill. He would hook his patients up to a â€Å"Suicide-Machine† that would result in a painless death. Though controversial, his contributions to the ethical issues of Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia are unparalleled. This issue brought light to people’s free will in choosing death over life and was a key influence in hospitals allowing patients to fill out advanced directives. His work raised the question of whether euthanasia should be legalized and if it is ethical. The media interest brought on by this case illuminated issues such as â€Å"Dying with Dignity† and the â€Å"Right to Die Movement.† Though his work faced immense opposition, he is still regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern healthcare ethics (Betzold, 1993). Yet another major figure in the field of medical ethics was Hippocrates who is believed to have written the Hippocratic Oath. The Hippocratic oath is a sworn statement that doctors make even today to practice medicine in an ethical manner. It requires a