Morals for Medical States Essay

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Ethics for Medical Conditions

In the case study for this assignment about the 12-year-old girl Emma, Dr. Hamid's decision regarding her treatment is fairly clear. Since Emma is not of legal age to make decisions for herself, he should defer to the wishes of her parents. Doing so is in accordance with legal procedures as well as those commonly employed when important medical decisions involve minors. An examination of this decision and its ramifications, as well as that of the alternatives, demonstrates the prudence of this choice.

There certainly is no reason for the doctor to get a court order to perform this operation on Emma. In fact, taking such measures would contradict conventional protocol in such instances. That protocol typically involves having a parent or guardian who is of legal age making a decision on behalf of the child. From an ethical perspective, however, obtaining a court order is certainly not defensible. Should the doctor pursue this option he would be prioritizing his own volition over that of both Emma and her parents. It appears that they have a mature understanding of the procedure and of Emma's condition in general, and actually do not need any additional input from medical personnel other than their consultation on the matter.

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Forsaking the will and "individual liberty" (Veatch et al., 1996) of Emma and her parents to act on her own, then, is not ethically acceptable for the simple fact that it would largely constitute an abuse of authority.

Moreover, it is best for the doctor to rely on the judgment of Emma's parents because of the sensitive nature of this scenario. In a matter that is as painstakingly difficult as this one -- in which the poor girl has never been able to lead a quite normal life due to her medical condition-- it is best for those intimately involved with it to act as authorities. Emma's parents, of course, have such a degree of knowledge and familiarity with this situation that has greatly influenced the life of their daughters. This fact, in addition to the reality that they are her legal guardians, makes them worthy of deciding this matter for the doctor. Finally, the fact that they are able to speak freely with Emma about the complications that this condition has created for her is another reason why the doctor should rely on their judgment about whether or not to….....

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