Tickets to this workshop do not permit entry to the main Kaleidoscope conference, that is a separate ticketed event
Event Details:
“Ethical Dilemmas & Practice in Palliative Care “
St Francis Hospice Dublin, Proudly presents
Professor Theo Boer – Professor of Health Care Ethics at the Protestant Theological University in Utrecht
Professor Boer studied theology and ethics in Utrecht and in Uppsala. From 1987-2001 he was researcher at the Center for Bioethics and Health Law at Utrecht. From 2005-2014 he was a member of a Regional Euthanasia Review Committee, during which he assessed 4,000 euthanasia reports for the Dutch Government. He is currently a member of the Dutch Health Council, a statutory advisory board for the Dutch Government. His present research concentrates on euthanasia and on overtreatment.
This Two Part Ethics Workshop will cover:
Part 1: Respectfully Handling Deep Moral Pluralism in End of Life Choices
Pluralism acknowledges that diversity and its related traditions are a natural part of society, encompassing ethnicity, sexual orientation, and faith. In the past century western healthcare systems have seen vast developments in medical technologies and considerable diversity of views on what constitutes good living, healthcare, and dying.
Prof. Boer will explore one or more case studies from his decades of experience in the Dutch plural healthcare system and conclude with guidance that may support the exploration of complex moral diversity in the evolution of Palliative Care and healthcare systems.
Part 2: Can We Prevent Overtreatment? Introducing the Five Medical-Ethical Criteria
Until the late 20th century, doctors had limited treatment options, but now medical advancements are significant. J.H. van den Berg with his book Medical Power and Medical Ethics, opened the debate on whether doctors should do everything they can do. He focused on the suffering that treatment can cause and the costs they entail.
Prof. Boer will connect the discussion around overtreatment with the four medical-ethical principles of Beauchamp & Childress, to which he adds a fifth criterion in this specific context: respect for natural processes. The aim is to equip health care providers with tools to identify potential overtreatment before either starting or continuing treatment.
