Abstract

This work charts the progress of changing values in medical and healthcare decision-making, particularly as a result of economic pressures, and the role of clinical ethics in determining what courses of action and treatment medical and healthcare professionals should pursue. It evaluates the concepts involved in ethical decision-making, such as risk and need, and whose values are relevant to which decisions and looks at the changing emphasis of medicine and the relevance of value judgments in clinical decisions. This stimulating work incorporates a number of different perspectives, disciplines, cultures and nationalities to provide a multi-disciplinary, international approach. In addition to medical and economic issues, the book also discusses philosophical and legal aspects.