Health Care ethics midterm

What was the Willowbrook study about?

A hepatitis study in which mentally retarded children were infected as part of admission to a facility.

What was the Tuskegee syphilis study about?

A multi -decade study of the natural progression of syphilis that began with the assumption that black men would not seek treatment.

Which deontological theory violates the principle of universalizability?

Act Deontology

Which theory fails to recognize special duties?

Act Utilitarianism

Which of the following principles is the Categorical Imperative?

Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.

Which theory violates the publicity condition?

Act utilitarianism

What is an act of supererogation?

An act above and beyond the call of duty

What is Macklin's advice to physicians who are confronted with a patient who comes from a culture where bad news like a diagnosis of a terminal disease is not disclosed to the patient?

Ask the patient how they want it handled. Don't assume that because a patient is from a culture where nondisclosure is a practice that the patient is in agreement with that practice.

What is the "turn the tables" strategy?

Ask the same question of the other party. In this case: "What justifies your moral principle?"

Which of the following principles does Macklin believe should govern the disclosure of information:

Carry out informed consent in a manner appropriate to the patient's belief.

Which model of the doctor-patient relationship gives ultimate decision-making authority to the patient?

Consumerism

Which model of the doctor-patient relationship is the most client dictated?

Consumerism

Which model of the doctor-patient relationship would discourage recommendations from the doctor?

Consumerism

What kind of theory is Kantian formalism?

Deontological

If a moral theory claims that an act can be right or wrong independently of its consequences, this theory is most probably:

Deontological or duty based

What does Macklin believe about the Navajo belief that hearing negative information can cause the negative thing to happen thus causing problems concerning informed consent where both the benefits (the good things) and risks (the bad things) of procedure are supposed to be disclosed?

Do not disclose the risks; just tell them the benefits.

A utilitarian like John Stuart Mill would vehemently oppose the principle of autonomy.

False

All objections to AU apply to RU as well

False

If a person is of questionable competence there is no the requirement to obtain informed consent from the person or anyone else on his/her behalf.

False

If someone is legally incompetent they are incapable of making any medical decisions.

False

John Stuart Mill thinks it is better to be a satisfied pig than an unhappy dissatisfied human.

False

Macklin agrees with critics of mainstream bioethics who say that the emphasis on individual rights and patient autonomy cuts out family involvement in medical decision-making:

False

Macklin believes that Western healing practices always have benefits and never cause harm.

False

Macklin believes that anyone who practices voodoo is obviously so irrational that they are incapable of competently consenting to treatment.

False

Macklin believes that it is culturally insensitive to try to educate the Mein in the ways of Western medicine.

False

Macklin believes that it is culturally insensitive to try to tell patients such things as they ought not to smoke, lose weight, get pap smears and exercise.

False

Macklin believes that the principle of autonomy is absolute and can never have exceptions.

False

Surprisingly, the Nazis were among the first to extensively employ the doctrine of informed consent and wrote it into their Nuremberg Code.

False

The American Medical Association was quick to embrace the doctrine of informed consent.

False

The common law is more concerned about preserving the life of the individual (the sanctity of life) than preserving the self-determination of the individual.

False

The common law requires persons to be informed even if they do not want to hear the information.

False

The doctrine of informed consent requires the disclosure of benefits of a treatment but not the risks of the treatment.

False

The doctrine of informed has been interpreted as permitting a valid consent even if the patient does not comprehend the information. (The theory behind this is that the professional has fulfilled his/her duty if the information is given. The professional can't be held responsible for whether the patient understands.)

False

The example of the Reds fanatic used in class shows that Kant believes that you should lie if it saves a life.

False

Throughout history physicians have been keen to disclose information to patients.

False

Utilitarianism holds that the right act is the one that produces the greatest amount of good for me.

False

A Deontologist like Immanuel Kant would vehemently oppose the principle of autonomy.

Fasle

The idea of obtaining a patient's consent to treatment goes all the way back to the Hippocratic Oath.

Fasle

What does it mean for a theory to be inadequate?

It conflicts with common moral intuitions

According to Pence, just how important is the principle of autonomy to bioethics?

It is a keystone concept

What was the point of the examples of the McDuffy case and the scapegoating sheriff

Justice and utility can conflict.

Which ethical theory features the categorical imperative?

Kantian Formalism

Which of these theories is most absolutist with respect to rules?

Kantian Formalism

How many ultimate moral principles does the utilitarian hold?

One

Which statement best describes the position of the American Medical Association on patient self-determination?

Patients have the right to make their own decisions with guidance from physicians.

Which statement best describes the position of the American Nurse's Association on patient self-determination?

Patients have the right to make their own decisions.

Which statement best describes the position of the National Association of Social Workers on patient self-determination?

Patients have the right to make their own decisions.

Which of the following standards of disclosure is modeled on the standard for due care in malpractice suits?

Professional practice standard: disclose as much or as little as other professionals in the community would disclose.

Which of the following best represents Macklin's views on the obligation of health care professionals when they discover that the parents are burning the bellies of their babies?

Protect children, but not by reporting the parents as abusers because they are not doing it maliciously.

Which standard of disclosure is determined by a jury?

Reasonable person standard: disclose as much or as little as a reasonable person would want to know.

Which deontological theory resolves conflicts among moral principles by appealing to moral intuition

Rule Deontology

In the example, given in class, of the nurse who led an elderly woman to believe that she was present at the moment of her husband's death, which Utilitarian strategy is least likely to approve of what the nurse did?

Rule Utilitarianism

Which theory violates the distinction between duties and acts of supererogation?

Rule Utilitarianism

Which of the following is the Principle of Utility?

Seek the greatest good for the greatest number

What sort of Professional/Patient Relationship is Macklin presupposing in her analysis?(Lecture)

Shared Decision-Making

According to Pence, which model of the doctor-patient relationship best promotes self-determination?

Shared decision-making

What is the point of the Eskimo example?

Some apparently moral differences are really disputes about the facts

Why isn't it easy to tell which ethical theory is best?

Some theories meet some criteria for being a good theory better than others but no theory meets all the criteria better than the others

The example of a gestalt, given in class, is attempting to demonstrate that:

Something can be self-evident despite the fact that not everyone agrees.

What kind of theory holds that rightness or wrongness of an act depends exclusively on its consequences?

Teleological

What kind of theory is Utilitarianism?

Teleological

According to Pence, which standard of disclosure is most likely to achieve the requirements of autonomy?

The reasonable person standard supplemented by the subjective standard.

Which model of the doctor-patient relationship is least likely to allow patients to make stupid choices?

Traditional doctor-patient

Which model of the doctor-patient relationship is the most paternalistic?

Traditional doctor-patient

The Women's Liberation movement was chagrined by the development of the doctrine of informed consent because:

Trick question. They wanted women to assume control over their bodies and especially over birthing procedures.

A valid consent must be competent.

True

A valid consent must be voluntary.

True

According to Macklin, the cultural diversity of the U.S. creates problems for physicians and patients

True

According to Ross (a Rule Deontologist), prima facie duties are self-evident.

True

Both Rule Utilitarianism and Act Utilitarianism try to seek the greatest good for the greatest number.

True

Emergencies are an exception to informed consent.

True

If you believe that your conscience is a complete and accurate guide to your moral duties, then you are probably an Act Deontologist

True

If you consider consequences to be a consideration in determining the rightness or wrongness of an action but deny that it is the sole determinant, your theory is probably deontological.

True

Macklin believes that it is justifiable to tell a white lie to a patient who has cancer in the circumstances described by the case told by the orthodox rabbi

True

Macklin believes that it is possible to respect cultures but refuse to tolerate their unjust and harmful practices.

True

Macklin believes that it is unjust to not to stop some practices harmful to children.

True

Macklin believes that multiculturalism is logically inconsistent.

True

Macklin believes that the notion that it is wrong to point out a culture's beliefs are demonstrably false is contrary to common sense.

True

Macklin believes that the notion that it is wrong to point out the harms of burning babies' bellies is contrary to common sense.

True

Macklin believes that the principle of beneficence and the principle of autonomy would support withholding information about risks of treatment.

True

Properly speaking, Act Utilitarianism is Situation Ethics.

True

Rule Deontology is criticized for failing to be a guide to action.

True

Some critics of informed consent believe that self-determination has run amok to the detriment of patients and society.

True

Some critics of informed consent say that patients are sick and shouldn't be burdened with decisions and therefore Doctors should make the decisions for the patients.

True

Some critics of informed consent say that patients can't understand the information and therefore Doctors should make the decisions for the patients.

True

Some kinds of human experimentation cannot take place if consent is first obtained.

True

The common law allows sane persons of adult years to refuse life-saving treatment.

True

The common law says that if a doctor performs a surgery on a patient without the patient's consent, the doctor commits a battery (unconsented touching).

True

The doctrine of informed consent has altered the traditional doctor-patient relationship.

True

The doctrine of informed has been interpreted as requiring the disclosure of risks of refusing treatment.

True

Therapeutic privilege is an exception to the doctrine of informed consent recognized in law.

True

Which ethical theory did John Stuart Mill hold?

Utilitarianism

Which ethical theory has as its basic moral principle the following: "seek the greatest good for the greatest number."

Utilitarianism

Which theory is likely to reject human rights?

Utilitarianism

What was the point of the examples of Jim in the jungle, George the biochemist, and the made-up story about Martin Luther King.

Utilitarianism fails to account for our sense of integrity and how we view our own actions.

What does Macklin believe about Female Genital Mutilation (FMG) and the obligation of health care professionals?

We should try to prevent the harm this practice causes, but makes no specific recommendations.

What does Macklin believe about the Santeria practice of sprinkling mercury around the household to ward off bad spirits?

We should try to stop the practice on public health grounds.

What is the major utilitarian objection to deontological theories?

What is the justification for accepting principles which will limit or diminish human happiness?

The example of Huckleberry Finn, given in class, was attempting to demonstrate that:

Your conscience can lead you to a morally wrong conclusion.

The root "deon" is Greek for:

duty