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Introducing the ethical cycle model for resolving ethical conflicts in medical practice: addressing challenges in
Ensieh Madani1, Ali Dizani2, Saeedeh Saeedi Tehrani3
1Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities & Islamic Studies, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran. Iran.
Insights
Physicians face new ethical dilemmas due to COVID-19. The ethical cycle model offers a structured approach to navigate these complex medical ethics challenges, aiding decision-making in consultations and committee meetings.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Ethics of Technology
Background:
- Physicians encounter significant ethical dilemmas, amplified by the unique challenges presented by COVID-19.
- Existing ethical decision-making models are crucial for addressing these complex moral issues in medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the applicability of the "ethical cycle" model to physicians' ethical problems in medical ethics.
- To compare the ethical cycle with other decision-making models for medical ethics.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive and comparative analysis of ethical decision-making models.
- Application of the "ethical cycle" model, involving problem formulation, analysis, option generation, and decision-making using ethical theories and reflective equilibrium.
Main Results:
- The ethical cycle model is comprehensive and suitable for complex ethical problems in medical consultations and ethics committee meetings.
- The model facilitates structured ethical problem-solving by integrating ethical theories and professional codes.
Conclusions:
- The ethical cycle provides a robust framework for addressing contemporary medical ethics challenges, particularly those exacerbated by novel diseases like COVID-19.
- Ethical decisions derived from this model are case-specific and require careful consideration of individual circumstances.
Abstract:
Ethical dilemmas are among the most important ethical problems in medicine. With the advent of COVID-19, the moral problems of physicians have taken on new dimensions as the specific features of this disease pose additional ethical challenges that require particular solutions. One common way to solve ethical dilemmas is to use ethical decision making models. One of the most recent models in ethics of technology is the "ethical cycle" developed by Ibo van de Poel. By describing and comparing several models, this paper examines the application of the ethical cycle to physicians' ethical problems and medical ethics. This model can help solve complex problems in consultations and ethics committee meetings because it is comprehensive and covers various aspects of the discussion. In this model, first the ethical problem is formulated and analyzed and then the potential options for action are proposed. Subsequently, by referring to ethical theories and professional codes of conduct in the medical field, as well as applying the method of "reflective equilibrium," an ethical decision is reached. This decision is specific to each case and may not necessarily be the best solution for other individuals or situations.
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