Bioethics Glossary

A legal document that specifies a person's preferences for medical treatment if they become unable to make decisions.

The right of individuals to make informed, voluntary decisions about their own medical care and bodily integrity.

The ethical obligation to act in ways that promote the well-being and best interests of others.

The interdisciplinary study of ethical issues arising from advances in biology, medicine, and biotechnology.

Genuine uncertainty within the medical community about the relative merits of treatments being compared in a clinical trial.

The obligation to protect patient information from unauthorized disclosure.

An ethical theory that judges the morality of an action by its outcomes or consequences.

An ethical theory that judges actions based on adherence to rules or duties, regardless of consequences.

The fair allocation of scarce health care resources across individuals and populations.

The principle that an action causing both good and bad effects may be permissible if the bad effect is foreseen but not intended.

The deliberate ending of a person's life to relieve suffering, classified as voluntary, involuntary, or nonvoluntary.

Genetic modification of reproductive cells or embryos, resulting in changes that are heritable by future generations.

The process of voluntary agreement to a medical procedure or research participation after understanding its risks, benefits, and alternatives.

An independent committee that reviews and approves research involving human subjects to ensure ethical compliance.

The property of an entity that determines whether it deserves moral consideration and protection.

The ethical principle of 'first, do no harm,' requiring avoidance of unnecessary injury or suffering.

Specialized medical care focused on relieving suffering and improving quality of life for patients with serious illness.

Overriding a person's autonomy for their own perceived good, often debated in the context of physician decision-making.

The bioethical framework based on four principles: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.

The controlled distribution of scarce health care resources, often requiring ethical criteria for prioritization.

The study of moral questions surrounding reproductive technologies such as IVF, surrogacy, and prenatal genetic testing.

The belief that human life has inherent value and should be protected from conception to natural death.

A person authorized to make medical decisions on behalf of a patient who lacks decision-making capacity.

A form of consequentialism that judges actions by their capacity to produce the greatest good for the greatest number.

An ethical approach emphasizing the character and moral virtues of the decision-maker rather than rules or consequences.