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'''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' is an applied branch of ethics which analyzes the practice of clinical medicine and related scientific research. Medical ethics is based on a set of values that professionals can refer to in the case of any confusion or conflict. These values include the respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Beauchamp
|init=J
|date=2013
|title=Principles of Biomedical Ethics
|journal=Principles of Biomedical Ethics
|volume=7
}}</ref> Such tenets may allow doctors, care providers, and families to create a treatment plan and work towards the same common goal.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Weise
|first=Mary
|init=M
|date=2016
|title=Medical Ethics Made Easy
|journal=Professional Case Management
|volume=21
|issue=2
|pages=88-94
|DOI=10.1097/ncm.0000000000000151
|pubmedID=26844716
|s2cid=20134799
}}</ref> It is important to note that these four values are not ranked in order of importance or relevance and that they all encompass values pertaining to medical ethics.<ref>{{REFweb
|url=https://depts.washington.edu/bhdept/ethics-medicine
|title=Bioethic Tools: Principles of Bioethics
|website=depts.washington.edu
|accessdate=2017-03-21
}}</ref> However, a conflict may arise leading to the need for hierarchy in an ethical system, such that some moral elements overrule others with the purpose of applying the best moral judgement to a difficult medical situation.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Berdine
|first=Gilbert
|init=G
|date=2015-01-10
|title=The Hippocratic Oath and Principles of Medical Ethics
|journal=The Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles
|volume=3
|issue=9
|pages=28–32
|issn=2325-9205
|DOI=10.12746/swrccc.v3i9.185
}}</ref> Medical ethics is particularly relevant in decisions regarding involuntary treatment and involuntary commitment.<ref name="WP">{{URLwikipedia|Medical_ethics|Medical ethics|2022-06-12}}</ref>
==Values==
A common framework used when analysing medical ethics is the "four principles" approach postulated by Tom Beauchamp and James Childress in their textbook ''Principles of Biomedical Ethics''. It recognizes four basic moral principles, which are to be judged and weighed against each other, with attention given to the scope of their application. The four principles are:<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Gillon
|init=R
|title=Medical ethics: four principles plus attention to scope
|journal=British Medical Journal
|date=1994
|volume=309
|issue=184
|pages=184-8
|DOI=10.1136/bmj.309.6948.184
|pubmedID=8044100
|pubmedCID=2540719
}}</ref>
* '''Respect for autonomy''' – the patient has the right to refuse or choose their treatment.<ref name="auto1">{{REFweb
|title=Principles of Bioethics {{!}} UW Department of Bioethics & Humanities
|url=https://depts.washington.edu/bhdept/ethics-medicine/bioethics-topics/articles/principles-bioethics#:~:text=Four%20commonly%20accepted%20principles%20of,Principle%20of%20beneficence%2C%20and
|website=depts.washington.edu
|accessdate=2021-01-18
}}</ref>
* '''Beneficence''' – a practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient.<ref name="auto1"/>
* '''Non-maleficence''' – to not be the cause of harm. Also, "Utility" – to promote more good than harm.<ref name="auto1"/>
* '''Justice''' – concerns the distribution of scarce health resources, and the decision of who gets what treatment.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="WP"/>
{{REF}}
[[Category:Medicine]]
[[Category:Term]]
|last=Beauchamp
|init=J
|date=2013
|title=Principles of Biomedical Ethics
|journal=Principles of Biomedical Ethics
|volume=7
}}</ref> Such tenets may allow doctors, care providers, and families to create a treatment plan and work towards the same common goal.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Weise
|first=Mary
|init=M
|date=2016
|title=Medical Ethics Made Easy
|journal=Professional Case Management
|volume=21
|issue=2
|pages=88-94
|DOI=10.1097/ncm.0000000000000151
|pubmedID=26844716
|s2cid=20134799
}}</ref> It is important to note that these four values are not ranked in order of importance or relevance and that they all encompass values pertaining to medical ethics.<ref>{{REFweb
|url=https://depts.washington.edu/bhdept/ethics-medicine
|title=Bioethic Tools: Principles of Bioethics
|website=depts.washington.edu
|accessdate=2017-03-21
}}</ref> However, a conflict may arise leading to the need for hierarchy in an ethical system, such that some moral elements overrule others with the purpose of applying the best moral judgement to a difficult medical situation.<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Berdine
|first=Gilbert
|init=G
|date=2015-01-10
|title=The Hippocratic Oath and Principles of Medical Ethics
|journal=The Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles
|volume=3
|issue=9
|pages=28–32
|issn=2325-9205
|DOI=10.12746/swrccc.v3i9.185
}}</ref> Medical ethics is particularly relevant in decisions regarding involuntary treatment and involuntary commitment.<ref name="WP">{{URLwikipedia|Medical_ethics|Medical ethics|2022-06-12}}</ref>
==Values==
A common framework used when analysing medical ethics is the "four principles" approach postulated by Tom Beauchamp and James Childress in their textbook ''Principles of Biomedical Ethics''. It recognizes four basic moral principles, which are to be judged and weighed against each other, with attention given to the scope of their application. The four principles are:<ref>{{REFjournal
|last=Gillon
|init=R
|title=Medical ethics: four principles plus attention to scope
|journal=British Medical Journal
|date=1994
|volume=309
|issue=184
|pages=184-8
|DOI=10.1136/bmj.309.6948.184
|pubmedID=8044100
|pubmedCID=2540719
}}</ref>
* '''Respect for autonomy''' – the patient has the right to refuse or choose their treatment.<ref name="auto1">{{REFweb
|title=Principles of Bioethics {{!}} UW Department of Bioethics & Humanities
|url=https://depts.washington.edu/bhdept/ethics-medicine/bioethics-topics/articles/principles-bioethics#:~:text=Four%20commonly%20accepted%20principles%20of,Principle%20of%20beneficence%2C%20and
|website=depts.washington.edu
|accessdate=2021-01-18
}}</ref>
* '''Beneficence''' – a practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient.<ref name="auto1"/>
* '''Non-maleficence''' – to not be the cause of harm. Also, "Utility" – to promote more good than harm.<ref name="auto1"/>
* '''Justice''' – concerns the distribution of scarce health resources, and the decision of who gets what treatment.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="WP"/>
{{REF}}
[[Category:Medicine]]
[[Category:Term]]