The practice of medicine is founded on sound ethical and moral principles. It is the duty of a medical profession to act in the best interest of a patient and their representatives in an effort to preserve life. Medics need to exhibit proper judgment in order to deal with the different forms of a moral dilemmas they experience in the course of duty. It is, therefore, appropriate to engage in medical processes aimed at saving the life of the premature baby.
The interests of the parents are founded on the cultural and societal practices in their area of origin which will eventually make it difficult for the baby to grow and develop in an appropriate manner; in addition, the parents are worried about the likelihood of the society acting in a discriminatory manner as a result of the baby’s condition. There is a need for a physician to incorporate the tenets of justice in his decisions especially in regard to whether it is entirely up to him to make decisions regarding the baby’s life (Gillon, Lloyd 184). Is there a possibility that the authority responsible for making such a decision is the hospital or better still the government?
In this particular case, the interests of the baby are grounded on the law. The type of legislation related to this issue is the right to life and existence, it is worth mentioning that this law assumes universal suffrage thus casting doubt on the desires of the parents to end the life of the premature baby. It is therefore upon relevant institutions and persons to ensure that such legislation is put into practice. A look at the society in which the child will grow up indicates the difficulty likely to be experienced especially in the form of discrimination that will eventually lead to isolation. This calls upon medical personnel and other relevant entities to act in reference to the principles of ethical practice especially justice that makes it mandatory for a physician to act in the interest of the various competing factors in a specific medical setting. There is a need to appreciate the aspect of legality and how it guides the operations of the medical professionals, a violation of such provisions not only places the job of a medical professional at risk but taints the practice of medicine (Veatch, Robert 64).
The foreign government and in this case the United States is partly responsible for any procedure carried out within its boundaries even though it does not affect its citizenry. In analyzing such a condition, it is necessary to look into the laws present in the country in regard to the protection of life; these laws are pro-life. In the event that medical personnel engages in practices that violate the moral values of the society then the effects will assume a definite degree of proportionality to the actions of similar cultures. People from such regions will find it easier to travel to the United States hopeful that their problems will be solved (Gillon, Lloyd 184). One of the principles of ethics in the medical profession requires physicians to always engage in practices that contribute to the development of public health standards in the country. Agreeing to terminate the life of the baby will be a violation of this statute.
The actions of the physician are grounded on the need to act in the best interest of the baby, parents, hospital and the country. It is however difficult to achieve this feat thus making it appropriate to act in reference to the laws stipulated in the constitution and the ethical principles that govern the practice of medicine. The only way in which a physician can contribute to solving future problems is by participating in a legislative process that will alter the current state of affairs. The interests of the county hospital are related to those of the physician, it is appropriate for the medical procedures performed in their facilities to be in line with the stipulated laws and code of ethics for medical personnel (Gillon, Lloyd 185).
In conclusion, the parents need to understand that ending the life of a human being is grounded on law and to a greater extent the choice of an individual however this is only applicable in certain states where assisted suicide is grounded on the law. This makes it the responsibility of a physician to act in accordance with the stipulated laws and principles of ethics thus performing necessary medical procedures to save the life of the baby.
Works cited
Gillon, Lloyd. ‘‘Medical ethics: four principles plus attention to scope. ’’BMJ, 1994 Vol 309:184-185
Veatch, Robert. The patient-physician relation: the patient as partner. Indiana: Indiana University press 1997(1) 63-67. Print.