Healthcare Ethics and Organs Trafficking Essay

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Updated: Feb 11th, 2024

The most important ethical principle

Nonmaleficence is the most important ethical principle. Beauchamp and Childress (2009) posit, “Nonmaleficence is a principle of bioethics that asserts an obligation not to inflict harm intentionally” (p. 39). This ethical principle stands out as the best because it seeks to assist the sick without causing them harm. In addition, it forms the “cores of the medical oath and nursing ethics” (Beauchamp & Childress, 2009, p. 68). Therefore, this principle covers a wide array of ethics, and thus it protects the beneficiary in a better way as compared to the other ethical principles. In contemporary times, research in the field of medicine has increased exponentially due to the need to come up with treatments for different chronic ailments like HIV/AIDs and cancer, among others. Researchers are prone to abuse of research subjects during experimental treatments, and thus this ethical principle cushions the subjects from such mistreatments. In addition, this ethical principle covers another principle, viz. beneficence, whereby compassion and the need to help others form the core of the medical profession. Therefore, in light of the above highlights, nonmaleficence is the best ethical principle due to its wide array of benefits to the stakeholders in the medical field.

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One code of ethics is not appropriate for all healthcare professionals

One code of ethics is not appropriate for all healthcare professionals, given that different set ups elicit disparate ethical problems. This assertion holds because different healthcare professionals face dissimilar ethical problems in disparate setups. Therefore, one ethical code of ethics cannot be employed to address different ethical problems. The current codes of ethics are designed to provide specific answers to particular ethical problems. Therefore, the design of the available codes of ethics is faulty and thus, based on the above argument, a specified answer cannot address diverse problems. Berwick, Hiatt, Janeway, and Smith (1997) posit that an ethical code “should describe the ethical environment for the delivery of health care and reflect its character and general approach… but not provide the certain answers for the many ethical problems encountered in the course of medical practice” (p.1633). This realization highlights the need to restructure the design of ethical codes to allow them to give directions on how to deal with certain ethical problems as opposed to outlining clear-cut answers for different problems. This way, one code of ethics can be appropriate for all healthcare professionals, but as it stands, different codes of ethics are needed to address disparate ethical problems encountered in the healthcare professions.

Idea/plan to reduce illegal trafficking of organs

The issue of illegal trafficking of organs involves different countries, and thus the best way to deal with it is to strengthen international cooperation. Organ trafficking is related closely to human trafficking. The victims are smuggled from third world countries into the developed states with the promise of well-paying jobs, hence good lives. Unfortunately, countries deal with this issue in isolation, with each state coming up with strategies to counter the vice (Mor & Boas, 2005). Unfortunately, the laid down strategies fail because organ trafficking is a cross-border problem. Therefore, without the willing cooperation of the involved countries, the perpetrators of this crime will continue with their illegal trade by exploiting the loopholes in the international legislations against the issue. Therefore, the best way to reduce this problem is to come up with an international body, probably under the United Nations, to deal with the problem of illegal organ trafficking. The international body should play an oversight role by coordinating different countries to reduce the problem. The current problem with organ trafficking is not legislation, but oversight (Jafar, 2009), as almost all countries have laws against illegal organ trafficking. In addition, the body should push for the recognition of illegal trafficking of organs as crimes against humanity, thus punishing the perpetrators punitively.

References

Beauchamp, T., & Childress, J. (2009). Principles of biomedical ethics. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Berwick, D., Hiatt, H., Janeway, P., & Smith, R. (1997). An ethical code for everybody in health care. British Medical Journal, 315(7142): 1633 -34.

Jafar, H. (2009). Organ trafficking: global solutions for a global problem. American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 54(6), 1145-57.

Mor, E., & Boas, H. (2005). Organ trafficking: scope and ethical dilemma. Current Diabetes Reports, 5(4), 294-299.

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IvyPanda. 2024. "Healthcare Ethics and Organs Trafficking." February 11, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/healthcare-ethics-and-organs-trafficking/.

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