Pharmaceutical enhancement and medical professionals.
Emerging data indicates the prevalence and increased use of pharmaceutical enhancements by young medical professionals. As pharmaceutical enhancements advance and become more readily available, it is imperative to consider their impact on medical professionals. If pharmaceutical enhancements augment a person's neurological capacities to higher functioning levels, and in some situations having higher functioning levels of focus and concentration could improve patient care, then might medical professionals have a responsibility to enhance? In this paper, I suggest medical professionals may have a responsibility to use pharmaceutical enhancements. In some situations, having higher functioning levels of focus and concentration is conducive to providing the best possible care to a patient. In these circumstances medical professionals should use pharmaceutical cognitive enhancements. I conclude by examining the limitations and implications of this responsibility in the practice of medicine and areas for future research.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400, Pressler, Houston, Tx, 77030-3722, USA, genck@mdanderson.org.
Gavin G
GG
Enck
D024803:Biomedical Enhancement / Q000941:ethics*; D003071:Cognition; D026689:Ethical Analysis; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009014:Morals; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D010686:Philosophy, Medical
D018697:Nootropic Agents