Citation

Clark PA, Sullivan E, Barkowski M. Internet J. Law Healthc. Ethics 2015; 11(1): e29262.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Internet Scientific Publications)

DOI

10.5580/IJLHE.29262

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The "medicalization" of the death penalty has ignited a debate, by those within the medical profession and by others outside it, about the appropriateness of physicians participating in executions. Physicians participating as "agents" of the State in state-sponsored executions argue that their presence ensures a more humane execution. Opponents argue physician participation violates the Hippocratic Oath, which states clearly that physicians should never do harm to anyone. How any physician, who is dedicated to "preserving life when there is hope," can argue that taking the life of a healthy person because the state commands it is in the patient's best interest and does not conflict with the goals of medicine is beyond comprehension. Physician participation in executions is unethical because it violates the four basic principles that govern medical ethics: respect for persons, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.

Language: en