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Journal of Medical Education

Abstract

The preamble to the constitution of the World Health Organization states that the purpose of medicine is to promote complete physical, mental and social well-being. Since medicine promotes health over illness and good over evil, it cannot be amoral. In other words, medicine and morality must go side by side. The purpose of this paper is to show that medicine without morality can be crippling and even blinding. In addition to discussing why medical morality is needed, four case studies (two western and two Taiwanese)are also discussed. Health care is undergoing changes that are more rapid and more dramatic than ever before. These include advances in medical technologies and changes in governmental policies such as medical insurance. Never before has there been such a need for careful reflection of the impact of these changes upon health-care quality and medical ethics.

First Page

11

Last Page

20

DOI

10.6145/jme.199703_1(1).0004

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