Ethics of Health Care

In the wake of the successful cloning of animals and the promises - or fears - of stem cell research, new discoveries in science and medicine need more than ever to be accompanied by careful moral reflection. Contending that concern over the ethical dimensions of these and other like issues are no longer just in the domain of those involved in medical practice, the third edition of "Ethics of Health Care" claims these are vital topics that should matter deeply to all citizens. While stressing the Catholic tradition in health care ethics, "Ethics of Health Care" is ecumenical, incorporating a broader Christian tradition as well as humanistic approaches - and takes as common ground for mutual understanding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations. This third edition is a response to the many developments in theology and the rapid changes in the arenas of medicine and health care over the 1990s from the dominance of managed care to increased surgery on an "outpatient" basis; from hospice care for the dying to the increasing use of drugs in the treatment of mental illness.