Mortal Choices

by Ruth Macklin

By analyzing dozens of real-life dilemmas and pertinent legal cases, the author probes ethical issues raised by new medical technologies and new approaches in medicine and ponders the individual's rights, physician's responsibilities, and govenment's role in medical aid dispensation

255 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 1987

Reviews

[Kai JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had originally decided to read this book as a way to gain perspective on bioethics in the 1980s, when it was a fledging field of study in the western medical sphere. Macklin is an engaging writer, who addresses complex issues in bioethics in a way that is timeless. Though some of the dilemmas she references are considered "resolved" in modern hospitals (policies in place for certain situations), she takes us through the reasoning behind these issues, creating a method of philosophical thought that is applicable for decades to come.

[Linus Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent comprehensive examination of medical ethics. While some parts are a little bit dry, Ruth Macklin walks us through many scenarios in which the practice of medicine must be guided by bioethical and philosophical thought. Along the way she examines the relative importance of family members, the importance of truly informed consent, the use of human subjects in medical research, and the appropriateness of futile care. A good read for doctors-in-training who will likely run into circumstances that require medical ethics in the future.