Abstract

The practice of medicine involves continual change, driven by a constant stream of developments in the understanding of biological structure and function relevant to human diseases, and the parallel improvements in pharmacologic and other technological interventions. This change is also driven by evolving social philosophies, ethical trends, and lifestyles. As products of society, doctors absorb contemporary values and norms. Indeed, it would appear that the ethical norms and standards of medical practice are flexible, and that the characteristics of medical practice at any particular point in history may reflect the mores of the times rather than any enduring moral imperatives.However, a common perception ..