Ethics and Epidemiology

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Steven Scott Coughlin, Tom L. Beauchamp
Oxford University Press, 1996 - Medical - 312 pages
Written by epidemiologists, ethicists and legal scholars, this book provides an in-depth exploration of the moral dilemmas that routinely confront epidemiologists, including both theoretical and practical issues. An excellent introduction surveys the theoretical and practical problems while leading issues are examined in later chapters though an up-to-date, solid analysis. Topics covered include informed consent, privacy and confidentiality protection, the balancing of risks and benefits, vulnerable populations, institutional review boards, and professional education. All the articles collected in this volume are original, and each includes detailed references and an extensive bibliography. Epidemiologists, public health researchers, bioethicists, and health policy-makers will value the insight this book provides into the ethical dilemmas faced in epidemiologic research.

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Contents

Moral Foundations
24
Professional Standards of Conduct for Epidemiologists
53
Epistemology and Ethics in Epidemiology
76
Copyright

13 other sections not shown

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About the author (1996)

A philosopher and writer in the field of biomedical ethics, Thomas Beauchamp was born in Austin, Texas. He was educated at Southern Methodist University, where he received his B.A. and M.A. degrees; at Yale University; and at Johns Hopkins, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1970. That same year Beauchamp joined the philosophy department at Georgetown University, becoming professor of philosophy in 1979. He also served as senior research scholar with the Center for Bioethics at Georgetown's Kennedy Institute. Beauchamp is an influential leader and teacher in the emerging field of biomedical ethics, which deals with the interrelationship of ethics and the complex technology of modern medicine. His concerns have embraced the philosophical and ethical dimensions of health care, therapeutic practice, and medical and biological research. His best known work, Principles of Biomedical Ethics (1979), was the first of an impressive series of studies he produced in the field of bioethics.

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