Radiation protection: some philosophical and ethical issues.
The ethical issue of justification has become an urgent issue in radiology. There has been a shift in emphasis in the discussion from what has been regarded as a rather paternalistic attitude of practitioners to one that stresses the rights of the individual patient. This article comments on this current move on the part of the profession by offering certain relevant philosophical considerations. Using a medical scenario as the context to comment on this shift, it discusses important and fundamental issues, such as the autonomy and the rights of the patient in addition to the question of consent on the patient's part.
Sia
Santiago
S
Faculty of Philosophy, Milltown Institute, Dublin, Ireland. ssia@milltown-institute.ie
Chhem
Rethy K
RK
Czarwinski
Renate
R
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics; D009014:Morals; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D011835:Radiation Protection; D011871:Radiology / Q000941:ethics*