George P. Smith II is a leading figure in the world of medical law and ethics. During his long career he has addressed some of the most important issues in bioethics and has contributed much original thought to the debates in this field. This book celebrates his contribution bringing together his key writings in bioethics.

The successful achievement of pregnancies following pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was first reported in April 1990. The technology is often used for patients who are at substantial risk of conceiving a pregnancy affected by a known genetic disorder, however from this technology other more controversial uses have arisen such as HLA typing to save the life of a sibling, gender selection for social reasons, the prevention of late onset diseases, or the prevention of diseases which may be genetically predisposed to developing such as breast cancer. The technology surrounding PGD is...

Drawing on a wide range of primary historical and sociological sources and employing sharp philosophical analysis, this book investigates medical ethics from a Chinese-Western comparative perspective. In doing so, it offers a fascinating exploration of both cultural differences and commonalities exhibited by China and the West in medicine and medical ethics. The book carefully examines a number of key bioethical issues in the Chinese socio-cultural context including: attitudes toward foetuses; disclosure of information by medical professionals; informed consent; professional medical ethics;...

Hopes are high that stem cell (SC) research will lead to treatments and cures for some of the most serious diseases affecting humankind today. SC science has been used in a treatment setting in the replacement of patients' windpipes and in restoring sight to patients who were blind in one eye and in future it is hoped that when the body is injured it will be able to be stimulated to produce those types of SCs necessary to repair the particular damage caused. In the meantime, research into specific treatments for a wide range of serious conditions is being undertaken including Alzheimer's...

There has been much debate about mental health law reform and mental capacity legislation in recent years with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also having a major impact on thinking about the issue. This edited volume explores the concept of 'coercive care' in relation to individuals such as those with severe mental illnesses, those with intellectual and cognitive disabilities and those with substance use problems.

This book proposes to re-evaluate the welfare of the child principle in assisted reproductive technology using applied ethics. It focuses on the controversial topic of saviour siblings and sets out a revised regulatory framework that is supported by clear ethical principles.