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Related Experiment Videos

Is post-mortem harm possible? Understanding death harm and grief.

Floris Tomasini1

  • 1University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK. f.tomasini@lancaster.ac.uk

Bioethics
|May 31, 2008
PubMed
Summary
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Exploring post-mortem harm, this study examines philosophical perspectives on harm to deceased individuals. It suggests harm to grieving parents is possible, impacting bioethical considerations like informed consent for research.

Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Medicine
  • Bioethics
  • Medical Ethics

Background:

  • Improper post-mortem procedures at Bristol and Alder Hey hospitals in the late 1990s raised questions about harm to deceased individuals.
  • Parental claims of harm to deceased children highlight the need for a deeper understanding of post-mortem harm.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the limits of intelligibility regarding post-mortem harm.
  • To analyze parental claims of post-mortem harm from various philosophical viewpoints.
  • To examine the implications of harming the dead for bioethical principles.

Main Methods:

  • Review of parental claims of post-mortem harm from five philosophical perspectives.
  • Analysis of the concept of harm through 'analytical' and phenomenological lenses.

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  • Examination of bioethical concerns related to informed consent for research on the deceased.

    • Main Results:

    • An 'analytical' tradition posits harm requires an existing subject, making harm to the non-existent dead nonsensical.
    • A phenomenological perspective suggests harm is possible through its impact on grieving parents' experiences.
    • The concept of harming the dead has implications for informed consent in medical research.

    Conclusions:

    • Harm to the dead is philosophically complex, with differing interpretations based on analytical and phenomenological viewpoints.
    • While the dead may not be harmed directly, their treatment can inflict harm on grieving families.
    • Ethical frameworks, particularly informed consent for research, must consider the impact on the living when dealing with deceased individuals.