It is almost universal to express the preventive or harmful health effects of a behavior or a medication as a percentage of variation between the starting situation and the one that considers this added factor. This figu...It is almost universal to express the preventive or harmful health effects of a behavior or a medication as a percentage of variation between the starting situation and the one that considers this added factor. This figure of relative variation, isolated, does not allow us to take into account the relevance of said change, which may be quantitatively small. In the dissemination of health sciences, and especially in the dialogue with the patient, the basis of all preventive or therapeutic advice, relying on or using only this relative figure is misleading. When talking to the patient, he or she must be able to take into account the expected benefits or the risks he or she runs, without percentage reference to another situation, that is, the absolute advantages or dangers, so that a well-founded joint decision can be made. In this dialogue, issues related to the patient's ″lifestyle″ must appear, with due precautionary measures: omission of this can only prevent possible benefits for the patient.
The narrative phenomenon in bioethics is remarkably broad, and although some have spoken of a turn or a narrative era, it is not very clear, due to this broadness, exactly what it entails. This contribution attempts to h...The narrative phenomenon in bioethics is remarkably broad, and although some have spoken of a turn or a narrative era, it is not very clear, due to this broadness, exactly what it entails. This contribution attempts to highlight how a narratively well focused care perspective is qualified to enhance the level of freedom (and not only autonomy) by which the patient makes his or her decisions. To this end, an idea of narrative consistent with this perspective will first be outlined (ep. II). Then we will examine how illness can arouse a deep encounter of the patient with himself/herself, opening the way to a quest narrative, enabling him/her to integrate this traumatic experience into a new meaning horizon (ep. III). Finally, it is emphasized that the empowerment of the patient's freedom, through a, so to speak, narrative care, prevents abandoning the patient to his own autonomy, while limiting the need to interfere in his decisions (ep. IV).
Post-trial access (PTA) for participants in clinical trials subsequent to research emerged as an important consideration during the work for the first antiretroviral drugs for AIDS. It evolved into a stringent ethical ma...Post-trial access (PTA) for participants in clinical trials subsequent to research emerged as an important consideration during the work for the first antiretroviral drugs for AIDS. It evolved into a stringent ethical mandate in the 2000 iteration of the Declaration of Helsinki. The recent version of this Declaration (October 2024) places greater demands on this aspect of research, in part because over the past two decades tangible progress in actualizing PTA, particularly in developing nations, has been scant, notwithstanding the presence of PTA-related information on numerous pharmaceutical company websites. This article presents recent empirical data underscoring the limited availability of PTA in practice. It scrutinizes the guidelines put forth by prominent international benchmarks in clinical research. We highlight the intricacies associated with mandating universal compliance and advocate for an approach transcending mere normative ethics toward a virtuous ethics paradigm, one that fosters more equitable and supportive research endeavors.
Values, a topic of permanent relevance, especially in the field of Education, permeate and guide it so that their study makes it possible to describe and evaluate its quality. The main objective of this article is to stu...Values, a topic of permanent relevance, especially in the field of Education, permeate and guide it so that their study makes it possible to describe and evaluate its quality. The main objective of this article is to study and analyse the axiological reality in terms of Ethics in the Organic Law 3/2020, of 29 December (LOMLOE). This has been done in order to treat the results descriptively, as well as to draw conclusions from a critical reflection, and to show the way LOMLOE addresses ethical values, referring to human dignity in particular. Our research shows to what extent and in what way the LOMLOE addresses ethical values, and in particular human dignity. The results obtained have profound educational implications and, as a general conclusion, we draw attention to the virtual absence of the word dignity in the sections analysed. Our study shows that the law focuses more on the social consequences of dignity than on its foundation. The values of equality, rights and duties, peace and non-violence, non-discrimination, respect, justice and solidarity stand out above all. But if there is one value that the law is frankly concerned about, it is the one related to gender issues. However, it is surprising that other values, such as the promotion or respect for freedom, are barely mentioned.
From 12 to 18 years of age, students in Spain go from a compulsory stage (ESO) to an optional stage (hight school), where issues related to bioethics are addressed in different subjects. Our work analyzes current textboo...From 12 to 18 years of age, students in Spain go from a compulsory stage (ESO) to an optional stage (hight school), where issues related to bioethics are addressed in different subjects. Our work analyzes current textbooks from prestigious Spanish publishers in the humanities subjects of "Education in Civic and Ethical Values", "Philosophy", and "Catholic Religion". The objective has been to analyze, following a rubric, the quality and quantity of ethical and bioethical content related to human dignity. Our research provides, as conclusions, first of all, the widespread absence of an anthropological foundation of human dignity, equated with legalized "human rights" and often with the value of other living beings; the uncritical acceptance of the 2030 agenda; the omission of moral judgments in bioethical dilemmas that arise at the beginning and end of human life. Finally, we also detect the dissemination of the an absolute biocentrism, as a way of overcoming anthropocentrism, without considering the option of a relative biocentrism that does not reduce the human being to simple biology.
In the present work, the possible influence of biology textbooks on the bioethics training of high school students in Spain has been investigated. The bioethical content of the third and fourth year of high school books...In the present work, the possible influence of biology textbooks on the bioethics training of high school students in Spain has been investigated. The bioethical content of the third and fourth year of high school books of the Anaya, Santillana, Oxford and SM publishers has been reviewed, concluding that they do not guarantee the essential training in bioethics of students, nor do they allow the development of a critical spirit in the face of the enormous possibilities opened up by the advances in science. None of the books explain that biology provides objective knowledge about the beginning of life of each human being. No publisher clarifies the biological status of the embryo, thus closing the door to its recognition as a person and to reflection on the treatment it deserves, and all of them evade the concept of dignity. Only in the fourth year of high school is something about bioethics explained in two publishing houses: in the SM publishing house from a Bioethics of Principles that is not reasoned and in Anaya from a positivist and utilitarian perspective. It would be desirable to incorporate aspects of Bioethics in successive editions of Biology books in high school that would allow biology to be connected with other branches of knowledge, which favor a comprehensive development of students and prepare them for the great challenges presented by advances in biotechnology. The four editorials analysed address biotechnological issues of great bioethical significance such as the use of stem cells, cloning, artificial human reproduction and genetic editing. However, we conclude that the analysis is carried out at an aseptic level without resorting to ethical foundations and referring only to the legal limitations of these practices. Although the different texts offer topics for bioethical debate within the classroom, we highlight the absence of ethical training to be able to determine when the dignity of human life is violated.
In this second article of the Bioethics and Education Project we carry out the bioethical analysis of the results of the questionnaire answered by university students in the first years of Health Sciences. The great majo...In this second article of the Bioethics and Education Project we carry out the bioethical analysis of the results of the questionnaire answered by university students in the first years of Health Sciences. The great majority of the participants recognize the existence of equal dignity for all people, valuing their intrinsic character and, therefore, opposing discrimination of any kind. They also value positively the feeling of being cared for and well attended to in the case that they personally find themselves in situations of disability and dependency. However, a posteriori, we find that this ontological value of dignity varies to the point of ending up attributing a functional, subjective, and relative meaning to it in those cases in which a third party is the one who must make a decision about their life and health. When faced with a bioethical conflict, they link human dignity, and therefore the ethical value of an action, with the ability to choose freely and autonomously. In this sense, they would support decisions in favor of euthanasia for terminally ill patients, and abortion due to rape if that were the wish of those affected. In relation to the beginning of life, more than half of those surveyed recognize the existence of human life in both the embryonic and fetal phases. The conclusions provided by our research is that for ethical judgement, a majority of young people do not necessarily pay attention to the nature of what they choose. They suspend judgment on the choice so that the legality or illegality of the choice depends on the "consent" of those involved in it. They would reduce the dignity of the person to the freedom to choose.
The present study addresses the importance of human dignity in bioethics, highlighting its intrinsic value and relevance to health professionals. It focuses on designing and validating a questionnaire to evaluate the per...The present study addresses the importance of human dignity in bioethics, highlighting its intrinsic value and relevance to health professionals. It focuses on designing and validating a questionnaire to evaluate the perception of human dignity among first-year students in Health Sciences degrees. The methodlogical process is described, including a literature review, expert consultation, questionnaire development and validation, and piloting for the final version. The ultimate goal is for the questionnaire to provide valid information to identify modes of argumentation and educational gaps in order to improve the teaching of bioethics in Health Sciences programs. The value of this work lies in the creation of a unique and validated instrument to measure perceptions of human dignity, thus filling a gap in educational evaluation in Bioethics and providing a crucial resource to strengthen ethical education in the Health Sciences.
This essay analyzes from a personalistic bioethics the model of technological progress supported by an autonomy without controls and an imperative that is governed by the maxim: if it can be done, let's do it!, as a nece...This essay analyzes from a personalistic bioethics the model of technological progress supported by an autonomy without controls and an imperative that is governed by the maxim: if it can be done, let's do it!, as a necessary and sufficient condition of progress. This puts us on the slippery slope between the technically feasible and the morally lawful. The pioneering work of the philosopher, José Sanmartin Esplugues 2 , urges reflection in the face of a technological profusion that sees the human being as a useful embodied object and offers powers of intervention on human life that were previously unimaginable. The reduction of the person to mere biological-material data opens the door to increasing deshumanization by subordination to the calculations of an instrumental rationalism. Underlying the desire to see ourselves at the top of the world and genetic techniques are the ultimate expression of a longing for human emancipation that aspires to take the reins of evolution through an abstract postbiological imaginary. Sanmartin proposes a model of ethical evaluation and social insertion of technoscientific activity that goes beyond the conventional categories of impact, use and effectiveness to distinguish social, cultural, economic, political and values correlates, in order to embroider a pattern that decides on the means and ends of human life through technologies that are neither innocuous nor neutral. A society without antidotes to manipulation that also teaches us to cultivate utopian dreams about human nature is easily malleable by elites who promise happy worlds and redeem us from our vulnerability.
Within the European Union, EU, a proposal for a Regulation on the recognition of parenthood has been in the pipeline since December 2022. If approved, the filiation of a child will be determined by the law of the country...Within the European Union, EU, a proposal for a Regulation on the recognition of parenthood has been in the pipeline since December 2022. If approved, the filiation of a child will be determined by the law of the country where the pregnant woman habitually resides, even if it is a non-EU Member State. The text obliges States to recognize birth certificates issued by third countries establishing the parentage of a child born from surrogacy agreements. In this paper, we analyze how the proposal interferes with the exclusive competences of EU Member States to regulate parentage and with the rules of international human rights law, including the European Court of Human Rights' case law.
The digitization of mental health enables significant shifts in clinical practice by harnessing vast amounts of data derived from the use of apps and wearables to enhance medical research, patient care, and health system...The digitization of mental health enables significant shifts in clinical practice by harnessing vast amounts of data derived from the use of apps and wearables to enhance medical research, patient care, and health system efficiency. However, this process brings forth pertinent ethical and legal risks. Ethically, concerns primarily revolve around safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of sensitive data, alongside the transformation of the doctor-patient relationship through technological interaction. Within the regulatory realm, issues encompass the classification of these tools as medical products, ensuring normative assurance of effective protection of mental health data, and addressing potential legal risks within this domain. This article aims to provide an overarching view of this landscape, serving as a catalyst for the technological, ethical, and legal discourse necessitated by digital mental health.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, bioethical concerns were raised and there was even a ″resurgence of bioethics. ″ In this work, we review the scientific articles published by Spanish authors in relation to bioethical issues...During the COVID-19 pandemic, bioethical concerns were raised and there was even a ″resurgence of bioethics. ″ In this work, we review the scientific articles published by Spanish authors in relation to bioethical issues in the three years following the declaration of the pandemic. Seventy publications have been selected. Of all of them, the topic that lent itself to the most debate was that of prioritization in the use of health resources. A consensus was reached that ruled out that age could be considered as a sole exclusion criterion in healthcare or in a possible admission to the ICU. And the importance of taking special care of the most vulnerable and adapting care to the conditions of each patient without excluding anyone was recalled. Other relevant topics were the contrast between autonomy and the common good, the immune passport, vaccination, rigor in research and the publication of results, the professionalism of health personnel, misinformation, care for nursing homes, telemedicine, and the importance of the exercise of virtues. After the experience of both vulnerability and the need to exercise solidarity, many works raise the desire and the possibility of being able to overcome the pandemic being better.
The differences between the male and female brain in cisgender individuals, those in whom there is no incongruence between the so-called biological sex and the perceived sex, are known. The genetic basis that underlies t...The differences between the male and female brain in cisgender individuals, those in whom there is no incongruence between the so-called biological sex and the perceived sex, are known. The genetic basis that underlies the differences observed in the brains of transgender individuals compared to cisgender individuals is also becoming known. In transgender individuals, there is a fundamental change in the connectivity of neurons in the body perception network, which may give rise to gender dysphoria. This knowledge allows for the characterization of the transgender condition and distinguishes it from transgender identities such as non-binary gender, gender fluidity, or genderqueer. Articles published assume, from the perspective of depathologization imposed by Gender Ideology, that these differences are due to a different sexual development. The societal acceptance of this perspective over the last two decades paved the way for medical interventions aimed at affirming the perceived gender, different from the genetic sex, through the continuous administration of cross-sex hormones and, in some cases, mutilating surgery. In adolescents and children, affirmation treatment of the perceived gender begins with puberty blockers, which have negative consequences for ossification and growth. The importance and irreversibility of these 'side effects' require the utmost rigor and complete information about them. Spanish law pushes the ideology to the maximum, infringing on the rights of transgender individuals. Medical ethics emphasize the necessity - the right - of a medical and psychological diagnosis, free from ideological approaches, before initiating what is being called treatment. This includes the right to information, prior to consent, about the positive and negative effects of hormonal administration. It also includes the right to the recognition of diversity among transgender individuals, especially the right to research that allows for treating the brain without altering the body. These rights must be recognized and demanded by the laws.
This study presents the most representative notions of the transhumanism concept in light of its temporal development, starting from the first time that there is a record of a similar conception, with the aim of drawing...This study presents the most representative notions of the transhumanism concept in light of its temporal development, starting from the first time that there is a record of a similar conception, with the aim of drawing a common thread between all of them and elucidating the relationship that these may have. For this, the works of Dante, Julian Huxley, FM-2030, Max More, Nick Bostrom and Raymond Kurzweil will be reviewed. From this analysis it will be extracted that all these different conceptions of transhumanism are united by their search for transcendence in the human being and the longing for a future state of divinity; Likewise, they differ in the way these common elements are understood. Such common and divergent notions allow a deeper understanding of what transhumanism is and promote a new perspective to understand these cutting-edge ideas.
This paper analyses the prenatal representations on motherhood of 15 Spanish primiparous women who were in the dilemma of whether or not to continue with their pregnancies. Based on a qualitative methodological approach,...This paper analyses the prenatal representations on motherhood of 15 Spanish primiparous women who were in the dilemma of whether or not to continue with their pregnancies. Based on a qualitative methodological approach, semi-structured interviews were carried out which included in their design theoretical approaches of the so-called Maternal Constellation of Daniel Stern (1997). Through a content analysis of the interviews, an absence of mental representations of the baby in terms of both physical and characterological appearance was found in the sample, possibly due to the emotional impact generated by the news of the pregnancy. This absence of representations of the baby would reveal the importance of support and/or accompaniment by social and health care providers. It would also reveal the importance of the law in force maintaining the time for reflection, which, implemented with personalised, face-to-face and verbal counselling, would allow women who find themselves in this situation to choose freely, by providing them with all the information on alternatives for continuing their pregnancy with support and accompaniment.
n recent decades there has been an undeniable inflationary process of human rights that has contributed to their trivialization and consequent discrediting. It is not surprising that after the third generation of rights...n recent decades there has been an undeniable inflationary process of human rights that has contributed to their trivialization and consequent discrediting. It is not surprising that after the third generation of rights there is no longer agreement on the content and scope of the following generations, which include rights whose subject is not the human being (but nature, the environment or animals) or, if it is, the individual claims from the State his right to satisfy a desire that he feels is necessary for his personal development. The emergence of ″desire-rights″ is the clearest proof of this inflationary and arbitrary process of human rights, radically transforming the entire human rights system. This article studies the emergence of these desire-rights, showing their historical origins and main philosophical presuppositions, as well as their most common characteristic features.
The consumption of pornography over the Internet by minors has been increasing exponentially in recent years. The use of digital technologies and the ease of access to these contents are causes that explain this event. S...The consumption of pornography over the Internet by minors has been increasing exponentially in recent years. The use of digital technologies and the ease of access to these contents are causes that explain this event. Simultaneously, there is concern about the increase in sexual violence, associated with discriminatory behavior, despite the efforts of laws and programs that promote sexual reproductive health (SRH) and the principle of equality. From a bioethical point of view, it is urgent to address this issue, which affects the physical and psychological health of minors and their affective-sexual education. The study addresses whether it is possible to relate the consumption of online pornography by minors and sexual violence. To do this, legal sources, reports from associations, audiovisual councils and scientific studies are consulted. In all of them, the relationship between the consumption of online pornography by adolescents and risky behavior in emotional-sexual matters and gender inequality is evident. In the legal and fiscal sphere, it is alerted to the damage that is occurring and points out the need to propose lines of action that reverse this situation. We propose measures to technically regulate access to content. These measures are based on the precautionary principle, a tool that has been applied in fields such as health and the environment. More studies and political actions are needed to make the Internet a safe place for minors.