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Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Applied Bioethics

Applied Bioethics
6
8420
2
Second semester
FB
Main language of instruction: Spanish

Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English

If the student is enrolled for the English track then classes for that subject will be taught in the same language.

Teaching staff


By appointment via email to the teacher.

English programme:

Dr. Remei AGULLES: ragulles@uic.es

Spanish Programme:

Dr. Ignacio MACPHERSON: imacpherson@gmail.com

Dra. Begoña BOSCH: bbosch@uic.es

Prof. Mauricio PACHECO: mpacheco@uic.es

 

Introduction

Biotechnological advances have opened new scenarios for professionals in Biosciences and have raised great expectations and concrete improvements for life and the future of mankind. However, it is also common that ethical and anthropological issues emerge both in scientific research and clinical practice that unambiguously demonstrate the need for a steady relationship and integration between technical reason and ethical reason so that the acquisition of new knowledge is addressed to achieve and do what is best for man.

Life and human nature appear as too complex realities to be examined thoroughly from a unique perspective; a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach such as that of  Bioethics is therefore indispensable. Bioethics is a reflection on human life and its relationship to good health, and on the principles which should guide the actions of Biosciences professionals in the development of their particular job. A competent professional, technical and scientific training is not enough to properly exercise the profession unless it includes the ethical aspect .

The Bioethics subject aims to provide the dentist with knowledge and specific training which enable and help him or her not just to take the best decisions in situations considered extreme, but also to know how to act in different situations that arise in everyday clinical practice.

Pre-course requirements

Basic knowledge of philosophical anthropology and ethics

Objectives

1. Recognize the ethical issues that arise in professional practice, and identify apparent conflicts and the ethical values at stake.

2. Acquire knowledge that enables students to analyze and define the ethical aspects of practice.

3. Acquire practical competences to integrate these dimensions in a constant process of decision making.

4. Know the rights of the individual as a human being and as a patient, in order to respect and detect eventual infringements that may appear in practice.

5. Know the main rules governing care procedures and labor regulations applied to professional skills.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 08 - Knowing how to share information with other healthcare professionals and how to work as part of a team.
  • 20 - Obtaining and creating a medical record containing all the relevant information.
  • 53 - Knowing the legislational and administrative ethical and deontological precepts which regulate the dental profession and its application in clinical management and practice, as well as the organisation, competences and functions of professional corporations. Filling in all types of medical and legal documents and records
  • 56 - Identifying the signs and behaviour which suggest potential abuse

Learning outcomes of the subject

1. Be able to properly integrate scientific ethical, and professional values.
2. Acquire the ability to adapt to different situations in the dentistry practice.
3. Develop the capacity for analysis and synthesis.
4. Discover the need to work in a multidisciplinary team.
5. Acquire the ability to apply ethical knowledge to practice.
6. Recognize his or her own limitations and the need to maintain and update professional competence, with a particular emphasis on autonomous learning of new knowledge and skills and motivation for quality.

Syllabus

I. FUNDAMENTAL BIOETHICS
1. Origin and Development of Bioethics
1.1  Introduction
1.2. A Brief Historical Overview
1.3. Definition of Bioethics
1.4. Founding Models in Bioethics
2. Foundations of Bioethics
2.1. Need for Ethics in Human Life
2.2. Key Ethical Concepts in Bioethics
2.3. Dentist-Patient Relationships
3. Methodological Principles of Ethical Decisions
3.1. Ethical Components of Human Acts
3.2. Analysis of the Moral Decision of the Health Professional
3.3. Stages in the Decision Making Process
3.4. Application to Healthcare Practice

4.  Research Ethics

II . APPLIED BIOETHICS
1. The Beginning of  Life
1.1. Human Sexuality
1.2. Procreation and Reproduction
1.3. Genetic Manipulation and Embryo Experimentation
2. Bioethics and End of Human Life.
2.1. Palliative Care
2.2. Death Diagnosis
2.3. Euthanasia and Health Professionals

III . BIOETHICS AND DENTISTRY
1. Ethics and Medical Records: Collection, Custody and Use of Data
2. Informed Consent (IC) in Research
3. Professional Secrecy
4. Legal Accountability. Insurances
5. Ethics Committees
6. Limits in Dental Procedures: Treatments
7. Ethical-Deontological Codes

Teaching and learning activities

In person



1. Lecture: presentation of the contents of the program.

2. Study and resolution of cases.

3. Performing practices: critical reading of texts, audiovisual (individual and group presentations).

4. Implementation of a project: teamwork. Cooperative practices among peers.

5. Documents review: books, essays, articles, texts

6. Academic tutoring.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



- Attendance, exercises in class, case study analyses and practices: 40%

- Final exam: 60%

For these percentages to be applied, the student must score a minimum of 5 in each item and sub-items

Pass mark of the subject is 5.

Cheating, forgery, impersonation or fraud in individual or team written assignments, in classes attendance, in written or oral examinations is a major offense that carries being considered immediately failed in the subject. In case of relapse, disciplinary proceedings will be open against the author / s. View : DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS OF UNIVERSITAT INTERNACIONAL DE CATALUNYA. CHAPTER I. DISCIPLINARY OFFENSES. Section 2. g ) h )

Bibliography and resources

HANDBOOKS

CICCONE, L., Bioética. Historia.Principios. Cuestiones. Palabra: Madrid, 2005

MANERO, E.; TOMAS, G.M., Diccionario de Bioética para estudiantes, Formación Alcalá: Alcalá La Real, 2008

MONGE, M. Ethics in Medical Practice, Sinag-Tala: Makati City, 2014

POLAINO, A., Manual de Bioética General, Rialp:Madrid, 2000

SIMON, C., Diccionario de Bioética, Monte Carmelo: Burgos, 2006

REFERENCE:

GONZÁLEZ, A.M.; POSTIGO, E.; AULESTIARTE, S. (eds.), Vivir y morir con dignidad: temas fundamentales de bioética en una sociedad plural, EUNSA: Pamplona, 2000

ABEL, F., Bioética: orígenes, presente y futuro, Institut Borja de Bioética-Fundación Mapfre Medicina: Madrid, reimp., 2001

ALBURQUERQUE, E., Bioética, una apuesta por la vida, CCS: Madrid, 1992

ANDORNO, R., Bioética y dignidad de la persona, Tecnos: Madrid, 1998

ASHLEY, B.M., O'ROURKE, K.D., Ethics of Health Care. An Introductory Textbook,  Georgetown University Press: Washington DC , 2nd ed., 1994

BEAUCHAMPS, T.L., CILDRESS, F. J., Principios de Ética Biomédica, Mason: Barcelona, 4th ed., 2000

BLAZQUEZ, N., Bioética: La nueva ciencia de la vida, BAC: Madrid, 2000

D'AGOSTINO, F., Bioética: Estudios de Filosofía del Derecho, EIUNSA: Madrid, 2003

DEL BARCO, J.L., Bioética de la persona: Fundamentos éticos y antropológicos, Universidad de la Sabana: Chía, 1996

ESPEJO M.D., CASTILLA, A., Bioética en las Ciencias de la Salud, Asociación Alcalá: Granada, 2001

GRACIA, D., Fundamentos de Bioética, Triacastela: Madrid, 1989

LOPEZ MORATALLA, N., [et al. ] Deontología biológica, Universidad de Navarra: Pamplona, 1987.

LEÓN SANZ, P. (ed.), La implantación de los derechos del paciente: comentarios a la Ley 41-2002, EUNSA: Pamplona, 2004

PASTOR L.M., FERRER, M., La bioética en el milenio biotecnológico, Sociedad Murciana de Bioética: Murcia, 2001

POISSON, J.F., Bioética ¿El hombre contra el hombre?, Rialp: Madrid, 2009

ROQUÉ, M.V. El sentido del morir en el vivir, Thomson Reuters-Aranzadi: Cizur Menor, 2013

RULE, J.T.; VEATCH, R.M., Ethical Questions in Dentistry, Quintessence: Chicago, 2004

SGRECCIA, E., Manuale di Bioetica, (2 vol.), Vita e Pensiero: Milano, 2012

VILA-CORO, M.D., La Bioética en la encrucijada. Sexualidad. Aborto y Eutanasia, Dykinson: Madrid, 2003

INTERNET
- Bioethicsline www.bioethics.Georgetown.edu/bioline.htm
- Euroethics www.gwdg.de/-uelsner/entrez/.fcgi
- Asociación Médica Mundial www.wma.net
- Canadian Bioethics Society www.bioethics.ca/english
- Asociación Europea de Centros de Ética Médica: www.kuleuven.ac.be/cbmer/eacmeherstel.htm
- European Bioethical Research: www.bioethics.org.uk
- Asociación Española de Bioética y Etica médica:  www.aebioetica.org
- Bioética y Derecho. Universidad de Barcelona: www.Ub.es/fildt/bioetica.htm
- Centro de Documentación de Bioética del departamento de Humanidades Biomédicas: http://www.unav.es/cdb
- Observatorio de Bioética de Valencia: www.observatoriobioetica.com

Evaluation period

E: exam date | R: revision date | 1: first session | 2: second session:
  • E1 19/05/2025 A01 08:00h
  • E1 19/05/2025 I2 08:00h
  • E1 19/05/2025 I1 08:00h
  • E1 19/05/2025 I3 08:00h