This short textbook of ethics and law is aimed at doctors in training
and in practice. Medical ethics and law are now firmly embedded in the
curricula of medical schools. The ability to make clinical decisions on
the basis of critical reasoning is a skill that is rightly presumed as
necessary in today's doctors. Medical decisions involve not only
scientific understanding but also ethical values and legal analysis. The
belief that it is ethically right to act in one way rather than another
should be based on good reasons: it is not enough to follow what doctors
have always done, nor what experienced doctors now do.
The third edition has been revised and updated to reflect changes in the
core curriculum for students, developments in the law as well as
advances in medicine and technology. It includes a new 'extensions'
section, providing an outline of important developing areas in medical
ethics.
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The first part of the book covers the foundations of ethics and law in
the context of medicine.
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The second part covers specific core topics that are essential for
health professionals to understand.
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The third section of the book includes new chapters on cutting edge
topics that will be crucial for the doctors and health professionals
of tomorrow.
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This new edition includes a new third section that provides an
extension to the core curriculum focused on four key emerging topics
in medical ethics - neuroethics, genethics, information ethics and
public health ethics.
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The chapters on Consent, Capacity and Mental Health Law have been
extensively revised to reflect changes in legislation. Chapters on
confidentiality and information ethics contain new sections relating
to information technology, sharing information and breaching
confidentiality.
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Each chapter contains case examples drawn from personal experience or
from the media.
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This edition also includes cartoons to highlight cutting edge and
topical issues.
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Most chapters include revision questions and an extension case to
encourage readers who are interested in a topic to explore further.
