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Ethical Considerations in Medicine

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Research on ethical considerations in medicine serves SDG 4 by promoting ethical health education, SDG 3 by enhancing patient care and fostering trust in healthcare systems, and SDG 16 by advancing access to justice in healthcare, ultimately contributing to the overarching goals of sustainable development, equity, and well-being for all.

Society, Culture and Human Behavior

Description of Subtheme:

Research examines ethical issues arising in medical research and healthcare delivery. Researchers explore topics such as informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, end-of-life care, resource allocation, and the ethical implications of emerging technologies in medicine and other emerging ethical issues. They work to develop guidelines and frameworks to ensure ethical practices in medical decision-making. Research projects contribute to advancing our understanding of ethical considerations in medicine and inform the development of policies, guidelines, and practices that promote ethical decision-making and improve patient care outcomes.

Research Action Plan:

  1. Exploring Patient Decision-Making in Informed Consent: This project aims to investigate how patients make decisions when providing informed consent for medical procedures or treatments. Using qualitative methods such as interviews or surveys, researchers explore factors influencing patients' understanding of medical information, preferences for involvement in decision-making, and perceptions of risks and benefits.
  2. Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare: With the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare for tasks such as diagnostics, treatment planning, and patient monitoring, this research project examines the ethical considerations surrounding AI use. It may involve evaluating the fairness and transparency of AI algorithms, addressing concerns about data privacy and security, and exploring the potential impact of AI on patient-provider relationships.
  3. Cross-Cultural Perspectives on End-of-Life Care: This project involves comparative research on cultural differences in attitudes toward end-of-life care and decision-making. Researchers conduct cross-cultural surveys or ethnographic studies to explore how cultural beliefs, values, and practices influence preferences for end-of-life care, advance care planning, and attitudes toward death and dying.
  4. Ethical Dilemmas in Pediatric Healthcare Decision-Making: Pediatric healthcare presents unique ethical challenges due to the involvement of parents or guardians in decision-making for minors. This project explores ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare providers and families in pediatric healthcare settings, such as decisions about treatment refusal, parental disagreement over medical care, and balancing the best interests of the child with parental autonomy.

Prominent Research:

  1. Azakir, B., Mobarak, H., Al Najjar, S. et al. Knowledge and attitudes of physicians toward research ethics and scientific misconduct in Lebanon. BMC Med Ethics 21, 39, (2020).