I believe that Medical Ethics is the most difficult pillar of EMSA. Why?

Because it is hard to describe what Medical Ethics really means in one sentence. You should try it...

Medical Ethics contains differences in cultures and religion; there are of course the famous discussions about abortion and euthanasia…

Medical Ethics contains politics; like the political issue “who should be vaccinated first, during the outbreak of swine influenza. ”Or for example the political issue, do non-registered immigrants have right to health care…

Medical Ethics contains science. For instance, preventive diagnostic testing is increasingly popular. But should we use it to decide if we would like to have a boy or a girl?  Or should we conceive children by IVF to be a donor for their sister or brother for a kidney or another organ in the future?

In other words “Just because we can, should we use it?”…

Medical Ethics contains communication in Health Care. Because in advance of every conversation, a doctor thinks how he can approach his patient in a most thorough manner…

Therefore Medical Ethics happens everyday, and forms the most essential principle of the mind of a doctor. It is the most difficult pillar, but because of that maybe the finest.

Mickuela Las van Bennekom

Medical Ethics Director 2009-2010

In “My Sister’s keeper”, 13-year old Anna is conceived by IVF to be a donor for her sister Kate, who suffers from leukemia