what is medical ethics

Medical ethics is an applied branch of ethics that analyzes the practice of clinical medicine and related scientific research. It is concerned with the obligations of healthcare professionals and the distinction between what is considered right or wrong at a given time in a given culture. Medical ethics is based on a set of values that professionals can refer to in the case of any confusion or conflict. These values include the respect for autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. The field of medical ethics encompasses both practical application in clinical settings and scholarly work in philosophy, history, and sociology. Medical ethics encompasses beneficence, autonomy, and justice as they relate to conflicts such as euthanasia, patient confidentiality, informed consent, and conflicts of interest in healthcare. Clinical ethics is part of the broader discipline of bioethics, which is the interdisciplinary study of ethical issues arising in the life sciences, health care, and health and science policy. Clinical ethics can help to identify, understand, and resolve ethical issues that arise in patient care by helping to clarify why certain actions are right or wrong. The four pillars of medical ethics are beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice. These four principles represent a framework for analyzing the best action to take in a given situation.