Medical Science and Ethics

Medical Science and Ethics

ART Services and Gays, Single or Older People

Most of the ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) centers in the US don't offer their services for gays. Such centers say that they don't want to be known as ART centers which welcome gays. Keefe, of the University of South Florida believes that such an act is strictly condemnable both ethically and according to the state laws. He said that many gay couples who are American taxpayers have to suffer a lot, bouncing from one center to another to fulfill their goal of having a child. Keefe used the eggs of a donor and a surrogate to develop a baby for a gay couple.

It is a fact that there are many doctors who refuse to provide IVF to gay couples, singles and older citizens. They deem this act to be ethically and religiously inappropriate. In case of older people, these doctors say that such an act will can be devastating for the long-term welfare of the child. Most of the ethicists believe that ART centers must consider the religious and ethical concerns, as well as the welfare of the child before providing their services. The clients must be properly interviewed to ensure a better future of the child and only then IVF should be carried out (Ruth & Regina, 2011).

A report was published by the ethics committee of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2007 which cited a case in which a doctor refused to perform an artificial insemination for a lesbian couple. The report also said that, the doctor was influenced by certain religious beliefs; however, the report says that, personal moral or ethical beliefs should have nothing to do with the supplication of health care facilities to the citizens. On the other hand the committee advocated the right of a doctor to refuse to treat someone whom he/she thinks would not be a good parent for the child.

Julien S. Murphy of the University of Southern Maine believes that, to have a child is not a medical need, instead it's a desire; and since doctors are not obligated to fulfill the desires of the people but only the medical needs, they have the right to refuse to treat any case whether for religious, ethical or child's welfare reasons. Mundy, the author of Everything Conceivable reported a survey, according to which in, 2005 only 44% of the doctors believed that doctors don't have the right to decide who can have children and who don't. 50% of them said that they would refuse to provide their services to gay couples, 40% said that they won't provide their services to older people for the welfare of the child and 20% said that they won't provide their services to a single woman (Ryan, 2001).

Ethical Issues Confronted by Eldercare Providers

Reports of ethical issues in health care sector have increased in the last ten decades. The evolution of technology has enhanced health care services to such an extent that the number of ...