What is health ethics?
Health ethics is the branch of ethics that deals with ethical issues in health, health care, medicine and science. It involves discussions about treatment choices and care options that individuals, families, and health care providers must face. It requires a critical reflection upon the relationships between health care professionals and those they serve, as well as the programmes, systems, and structures developed to improve the health of a population. Health ethics involves deliberating about the allocation of resources and reflecting on the complex moral choices arising from ongoing health care restructuring and advancing technology.
The four main principles.
Respect for autonomy.
Based on self-determination and the right of individuals to make independent and informed decisions concerning their life, well-being and best interest.
Distributive
justice.
The principle of justice entails that all persons in society are of equal moral worth, thus should be treated with fairness or equally under similar circumstances.
Beneficence.
Doing good involves promoting another’s welfare, acting in an individual’s best interest and in a manner which benefits others.
Non-maleficence.
It requires one to do no harm and to protect others from harm. This also includes the duty to maintain professional competence and to be aware of the isolation and powerlessness of others.
Health ethics in sport.
Health ethics in sport deals with ethical issues in health, health care, medicine and science.
They require a critical reflection upon the relationship between healthcare professionals and the athletes they serve. As well as the programmes, systems, and structures developed to improve their health.
Health ethics in sport involves deliberating about the allocation of resources and reflecting on the complex moral choices arising from ongoing health care restructuring and advancing technology.
It also entails a critical, political, and ethical analysis of the definition and the determinants of health in sport.
«We all know how important sport is for health and thus for physical and mental well-being. Conversely, it is also a fact that sport is not possible without health.
Medicine must not make any distinctions between rich and poor and young and old, origin, skin colour, gender or sexual orientation. Medicine must be just.
United for Ethics in Health@Sport wants all athletes to be treated equally, benefit from the same medical support and have access to the same sports facilities, treatments and medicines. Both physically and mentally.»
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
© United for Ethics in Sport c/o World Forum for Ethics in Business
