150514P - MEDICAL ETHICS COURSE

Presentation at a medical ethics course held at the Security Forces Hospital Riyadh May 14, 2015 by Professor Omar Hasan Kasule Sr. MB ChB (MUK). MPH (Harvard), DrPH (Harvard) Chairman of the Ethics Committee King Fahad Medical City.

Learning Objectives

MODULE 1.0: INTRODUCTION TO ETHICAL THEORIES AND PRINCIPLES

·         List and describe the 6 theories and 4 principles of ethics from the European perspective

·         Describe the ethical theory based on maqasid al shari’at and ethical principles based on qawa’id al fiqh

·         Describe how disclosure, truthfulness, privacy, confidentiality, and fidelity are related to the basic ethical theories and principles

·         Describe the purpose of clinical ethical consultations and how they are carried out

·         Define an ethical dilemma and explain the approach to its solution using existing laws,  ethical theories, and ethical principles

MODULE 2.0: PROFESSIONALISM

·         Define professionalism and list its dimensions

·         Describe teaching of professionalism by apprenticeship

·         List and describe the various roles and responsibilities of a physician

·         Define conflict of interest financial and non-financial

·         Describe how to recognize and avoid conflict of interest in dealing with pharmaceutical industry representatives

·         Define the terms medical error, malpractice, and negligence with examples

·         Describe the 4 elements of negligence

·         List and describe the various types of liabilities in malpractice

·         Explain the importance and process of disclosing errors

MODULE 3.0: PATIENT'S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

·         Describe the process of informed consent

·         Describe consent for patients with reduced competence

·         Describe the patient’s rights to privacy and confidentiality

·         Describe the patient’s right to disclosure and truthfulness

MODULE 4.0: START OF LIFE ISSUES

·         Describe the application of ethical principles to ethical dilemmas in the following issues: assisted reproduction, contraception, abortion, gender selection, gender correction / change operations, onco-fertility

·         Explain approaches to resolving the following issues in artificial reproduction: Disputes about parenthood, Frozen sperms, ova, and embryos, Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, Selective fetal reduction, Embryo splitting, Developing embryos for non-IVF purposes

·         Explain the importance of confidentiality when dealing with teenage reproductive issues and how that impacts parents’ rights

MODULE 5.0: END OF LIFE ISSUES

·         Discuss ethical guidelines in palliative care

·         Discuss the use of ethical principles in end of life decisions involving withholding, withdrawal of life support, and DNR

·         Describe ethical issues in proxy consent

·         Describe ethical issues related to organ donation

MODULE 6.0: ETHICAL ISSUES IN RESEARCH

·         Discuss the ethical and legal basis for informed consent in research

·         Discuss the benefit-risk equation in research

·         Describe the requirements for privacy and confidentiality in research

·         Describe research malpractices such as plagiarism

·         Describe conflict of interest issues in research

·         Describe the roles and functions of the Institutional Review Board

MODULE 7.0: PUBLIC HEALTH ETHICS

·         Describe ethical issues relating to emergency and disaster situations

·         Discuss issues of justice in allocation of scarce healthcare resources