Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to I Kerridge.
We describe the epidemiologic aspects of dialysis withdrawal, the role of patient autonomy and of medical beneficence in the decision to discontinue dialysis, and the conditions under which limits may be placed on patient autonomy. A case is presented that provides insight into the issues involved in making such decisions and that should provoke further discussion on the role of "medical guidelines" for dialysis refusal and withdrawal.
Contemporary medical practice brings a diverse range of professions and disciplines together in greater and closer contact. This situation of increasing complexity and changing professional roles gives rise to multifaceted ethical dilemmas and theoretical and practical concerns. In this essay we argue that for multidisciplinary relationships to be facilitated and to progress towards interdisciplinary teamwork, moral agents have to go beyond orthodox ethical systems and appeal to normative theory. We will argue that conceptualising ethics as a shared social practice may provide a useful starting point. This dialogic approach places greater emphasis on open deliberation and the articulation, negotiation, exploration and generation of new ethical perspectives in the here and now of clinical practice.
We report the first documented case of the use of peripheral blood stem cell autografting in the treatment of a Jehovah's Witness with acute myeloblastic leukemia. This case illustrates the complex ethical and clinical issues that arise in the treatment of such patients.