Introduction to

Biomedical Ethics
Prepared By: Chuckee B. Gatchalian, LPT, MAEd, MOS
Learning Objectives:
1. Define what is Biomedical
Ethics?
2. Differentiate the 4 Principle
of Biomedical Ethics.
3. Discuss the Common Examples
and Issues of Biomedical Ethics.
 What is Biomedical Ethics?
Bio
Bios comes from the Greek word
means “Life”. Some common
English vocabulary words that
come from this root word
include biology, biological,
biography and etc. One easy
word that is helpful in
remembering bio is biology, or
the study of “Life”.
Medical Ethics
Medical means relating to
Ethics is a branch of philosophy
illness and injuries and to their
that focus on our actions and
treatment or prevention.
behavior, based on well-founded
Relating to the science of
standards of what is morally
medicine to treat the patient's
good or bad and right or wrong
using surgery, operation,
for the society.
diagnose, drugs and etc.
What is Biomedical Ethics?
Biomedical Ethics is branch of
applied ethics that studies the
philosophical, social, and legal
issues arising in medicine and the
life sciences.

It is chiefly concerned with human

life and well-being, though it
sometimes also treats ethical
questions relating to the nonhuman
biological environment.
 The 4 Principles of
Biomedical Ethics
Prepared By: Chuckee B. Gatchalian, LPT, MAEd, MOS
The 4 Principle of Biomedical Ethics
Autonomy Non - Maleficence Beneficence Justice

An Ethical duty to An Ethical duty An Ethical An Ethical duty

ensure patients' to avoid duty help to ensure the
decisions are harming or others and risks and benefits
informed and injuring promote good of treatments are
voluntary. patients. for society. distributed fairly.
 Common Examples of
Biomedical Ethics
Prepared By: Chuckee B. Gatchalian, LPT, MAEd, MOS
 Health Consultation
Health Consultations usually are sought when practitioners with primary
clinical responsibility recognize conditions or situations that are beyond
their level of expertise or available resources.
 Organ Donation
Organ Donation is the process when a person allows an organ of their
own to be removed and transplanted to another person, legally, either by
consent while the donor is alive or dead.
 Transplantation
Transplantation is a surgical procedure in which an organ, tissue or a group of cells
are removed from one person, the donor and surgically transplanted into another
person, the recipient, and moved from one site to another site in the same person.
 Body Surgery
Surgery is a branch of medical practice that treats injuries, diseases, and deformities
by the physical removal, repairing, and readjustment of organs and tissues, often
involving cutting into the body.
 Genetic Research
Genetic Research is the study of human DNA to find out what genes and
environmental factors contribute to diseases.
 Death and Dying
Ethical issues about death and dying are person's right to make end-of-life
decisions have become one of the most legally complex and culturally sensitive
areas to emerge in our time.
 Embalming and Autopsy
Embalming is the treatment of a dead body to sterilize it or to protect it from
decay. Autopsy is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a
corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death.
Opening
Prayer
 Problems and Issues of
Biomedical Ethics
Prepared By: Chuckee B. Gatchalian, LPT, MAEd, MOS
 1. Abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an
embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a
miscarriage.
An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It can be done two different ways:

Medication Abortion - Which uses

medicines to end the pregnancy. It is
sometimes called a "medical abortion"
or "abortion with pills."

Surgical Abortion – A procedure to

remove the pregnancy from the uterus.
2. Contraceptions/Birth Control
Birth Control, also known as Contraception, is the use of medicines, devices, or
surgery to prevent pregnancy. There are many different types. Some are reversable,
while others are permanent.
 3. Drug Addiction
Drug Addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a
person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or
illegal drug or medicine.
4. Organ Selling & Trading
Organ selling & trading is also known as the “Blood Market" is the trading of
human organs, tissues, or other body products, usually for transplantation. It is
considered as human trafficking activity.
 5. Cosmetic Body Surgery
Cosmetic Body Surgery is done to change your appearance. For some, it may mean
redesigning the body's contour and shape, smoothing wrinkles, or eliminating
balding areas.
 6. Body Modification
Physical alteration, such as a tattoo or piercing, is referred to as
Body Modification, which is a broad category that includes just about any
alteration that a person makes to their body.
7. Euthanasia / Mercy Killing
Euthanasia also known as "Mercy Killing" is the painless killing of a
patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible
coma. The practice is illegal in most countries.
 8. Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders, physical
disorders, and substance abuse are risk factors. Some suicides are impulsive acts due
to stress, relationship problems, or harassment and bullying.

4 Types of Suicide Causes

Egoistic Altruistic Anomic Fatalistic
Altruistic suicide is
Anomic suicide relates Fatalistic suicide is the
Egoistic Suicide relates when social group
to a low degree of extreme rule in order or
to the person being involvement is too
regulation and this kind high expectations set
alone or an outsider and high, expectation from
of suicide is carried out upon a person or
subsequently they see a group is being met at
during periods of peoples in which led
themselves alone within a very high level such
considerable stress, them to a sense of no
the world. as a sacrifice for a cult
phobia and frustration. self or individuality.
or religion.
9. Human Cloning
Human Cloning is the
creation of a genetically
identical copy of a human.
The term is generally used to
refer to artificial human
cloning, which is the
reproduction of human cells
and tissue.
10. Unethical Human Experimentation
Unethical human experimentation is considered as “Human Torturing” a human
experimentation that violates the principles of medical ethics. Such practices
have included denying patients the right to informed consent and torturing
people under the guise of research.
Nazi Human Experimentation
Nazi Human Experimentation was a series of medical
experiments during world war II on prisoners by Nazi
Germany in its concentration camps mainly between 1942
and 1945. There were 15,754 documented victims, of
various nationalities and age groups, although the true
number is believed to be more extensive. Many survived,
with only a quarter of documented victims killed.
Survivors generally experienced severe permanent
injuries.
At Auschwitz and other camps, under the direction of
Eduard Wirths, selected inmates were subjected to
various experiments that were designed to help
German military personnel in combat situations,
develop new weapons, aid in the recovery of military
personnel who had been injured.
Blood Coagulation Experiments
Bone, Muscle, and Nerve Transplantation
Experiments.
Experiments on Twins
Freezing Experiments
Seawater Experiments
Unit 731 Unit 731 also known as the "Kamo
Detachment" it was a covert biological and
chemical warfare research and development
unit of the Imperial Japanese Army that
engaged in lethal human experimentation
and biological weapons manufacturing
during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–
1945) and World War II. It killed an
estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people.
Unit 731 was responsible for some of
the most notorious war crimes
committed by the Japanese armed
forces. It routinely conducted tests on
people who were dehumanized and
internally referred to as "logs."
Human Vivisection
Weapon and Chemical Testing
Injected with Animal Blood
(Horse & Guinea Pigs Blood)
Frostbite Testing
 Activity No. 1
Biomedical Ethics
Prepared By: Chuckee B. Gatchalian, LPT, MAEd, MOS
 Direction: In a 1 whole yellow paper,
answer the following. (20 points)
1. Choose 3 among the 10 issues and problems of Biomedical
Ethics. The 1 will be the worst and 3 will be the least.
2. Give at least 3 possible causes of each issues and
problems chosen. (Explain your answer in 3 sentence form)

3. Give at least 3 possible way to prevent or solve each issues

and problems chosen. (Explain your answer in 3 sentence form)
Name: Gatchalian, Chuckee B. Section: CIV 232
1. Organ Selling & Trading 2. Abortion 3. Drug Addiction

Causes: Causes: Causes:

a. a. a.
b. b. b.
c. c. c.

Solution: Solution: Solution:

a. a. a.
b. b. b.
c. c. c.