Unit information: Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues at the End of Life in 2010/11

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Unit name Ethical, Legal and Professional Issues at the End of Life
Unit code MEDIM6005
Credit points 15
Level of study M/7
Teaching block(s) Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director Professor. Huxtable
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

MEDIM6001, MEDIM6000

Co-requisites

None

School/department Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Faculty Faculty of Health Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

Subject matter to be covered will include the following: (i.) moral and legal issues surrounding the definition of death (e.g. "brain death", and its relevance to organ transplantation), (ii.) moral issues at the end of life, especially arguments against and for euthanasia, (iii.) legal and professional issues at the end of life, including the legal and professional guidance relating to euthanasia, refusing, withholding and withdrawing treatment, and administering potentially fatal drugs, as well as arguments for and against the legal and professional responses.