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Bioethics isn't just a list of vocabulary words—it's the framework you'll use to analyze every controversial biotechnology scenario on your exams. Whether you're evaluating CRISPR gene editing, clinical trials, or environmental release of GMOs, these principles are the tools that help you construct reasoned arguments. You're being tested on your ability to identify which principles apply, recognize when they conflict, and justify decisions using ethical reasoning.
Think of these principles as falling into three categories: patient-centered principles (protecting individuals), society-centered principles (ensuring fairness and sustainability), and process principles (how decisions should be made). When an exam question presents an ethical dilemma, your job is to identify the competing principles at stake and weigh them against each other. Don't just memorize definitions—know what each principle protects and when it might conflict with another.
These principles focus on protecting individual rights and well-being. They form the foundation of medical ethics and are often the first considerations in any biotechnology application involving human subjects.
Compare: Beneficence vs. Non-maleficence—both concern patient welfare, but beneficence is active (do good) while non-maleficence is restrictive (avoid harm). When a treatment has both benefits and risks, these principles create tension. If an FRQ asks you to evaluate an experimental therapy, discuss both.
These principles extend ethical consideration beyond individual patients to address fairness, collective well-being, and long-term sustainability.
Compare: Justice vs. Vulnerability—justice focuses on fair distribution across all populations, while vulnerability focuses on extra protection for specific at-risk groups. Both address inequality, but vulnerability triggers additional procedural safeguards rather than just resource allocation.
Compare: Stewardship vs. Precautionary Principle—stewardship emphasizes ongoing responsible management of resources, while the precautionary principle specifically addresses decision-making under uncertainty. Use stewardship for sustainability arguments; use precautionary principle when discussing unknown risks.
These principles govern how ethical decisions should be made, ensuring that procedures themselves are ethically sound.
Compare: Informed Consent vs. Respect for Autonomy—autonomy is the underlying principle (people have the right to self-determination), while informed consent is the procedural mechanism that protects autonomy in practice. An FRQ might ask how informed consent operationalizes autonomy.
| Concept | Best Examples |
|---|---|
| Individual Rights | Respect for Autonomy, Dignity, Informed Consent |
| Patient Welfare | Beneficence, Non-maleficence |
| Fairness & Equity | Justice, Vulnerability |
| Environmental & Future Concerns | Stewardship, Precautionary Principle |
| Trust & Privacy | Confidentiality |
| Decision-Making Procedures | Informed Consent, Precautionary Principle |
| Protection from Harm | Non-maleficence, Vulnerability, Precautionary Principle |
Which two principles both address patient welfare but create tension when a treatment has significant risks and benefits? How would you weigh them?
A pharmaceutical company wants to test an experimental drug in a low-income country where regulations are less strict. Which principles are most relevant, and why might they conflict?
Compare and contrast informed consent and respect for autonomy—how does one serve as the practical application of the other?
A scientist proposes releasing genetically modified mosquitoes to combat malaria, but long-term ecological effects are unknown. Which principles support proceeding? Which urge caution?
If an FRQ presents a scenario where a patient's family wants information the patient has asked to keep confidential, which principles are in conflict, and how would you resolve the dilemma?