LOYOLA COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS), CHENNAI – 600 034

VB 32

M.Sc. DEGREE EXAMINATION – MEDICAL SOCIOLOGY

THIRD SEMESTER – November 2008

    MS 3951 /SO 3951 – BIO-MEDICAL ETHICS AND LAW

 

 

 

Date : 07-11-08                 Dept. No.                                        Max. : 100 Marks

Time : 9:00 – 12:00

PART-A

 

Answer ALL the question in 30 words each.                                                (10 x 2 = 20)

 

1. Why is acting ethically an important value?
2. Explain the concept of “Paternalism” in medicine.
3. What is Nuremberg Code?
4. Differentiate Duty theory and Rights theory
5. Mention the key ingredients in patient-doctor relationship
6. Why theories are required to understand biomedical ethics?
7. Define eugenics
8. Explain Surrogacy
9. What is passive euthanasia?
10. Mention two ethical problems involved in cryopreservation of eggs, ovum and sperm.

 

PART-B

 

Answer any FIVE questions in 300 words each.                            (5 x 8 = 40 Marks)

 

 

 

11. Discuss the process involved in the ethical decision making in health care setup

 

12. Critically examine the role of religion in health care decision making

 

13. What is “Sufficient information” in the process of informed consent?

 

14. Evaluate the arguments against euthanasia

 

15. What do you think about brain death as a criterion for death and how do you look at the implications of such a criterion?

 

16. Is it ethical to commercialize and sell eggs and sperm for reproduction? – comment

 

 

 

17. M.P., 39 years of age, comes to the Gynecology Department demanding abortion. She has been pregnant for two months and does not want the baby. She has had multiple, complete sexual contact with several men in recent years and consumes heroin. The doctor requests her informed consent to an HIV test but she refuses to consent. Should the doctor, believing that HIV is highly probable, perform the test and other preoperative analysis without her consent?

 

 

PART-C

 

Answer any TWO question in 1200 words each:                           (2 x 20 = 40 Marks)

 

 

18. Explain the guiding principles of biomedical ethics.

 

19. Discuss critically the ethical issues raised by Assisted Reproductive Technology.

 

20. Highlight the need for “surrogacy law” using the recent surrogate mother case in India

 

21. A mother from a rural area gives birth to Siamese twins, who are slightly underweight. Their heads are unattached, and they each have two hands. They are joined together from below the costal margin, and hence are sharing many organs as well as their lower extremities, with a third but rudimentary leg arising from the posterior aspect. The doctors know that an operation must be carried out for the babies to have a chance, but the procedure itself is rather complicated. Furthermore, the doctors cannot determine the extent to which the vital organs are being shared. They know if an operation is to be carried out, only one of the twins will survive, and it will be a very costly procedure. The twins must be kept in the special care ward until they are fit to be operated on. They cannot survive outside the hospital. The parents do not care whether the twins will survive, and they just want to go home. Highlight the ethicolegal issues involved and suggest ways and means of addressing the same.

 

 

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