FEU Public Intellectual Lecture Series | Dr. Maria Fidelis Manalo | Part 1

Summary

In this Far Eastern University lecture, Dr. Lisa C. Manalo, a palliative care specialist, delves into bioethics, focusing on life's beginning and end. She emphasizes ethical principles like the Natural Moral Law and the sanctity of life, discussing dilemmas in euthanasia, abortion, and physician-assisted suicide. Dr. Manalo highlights the importance of patient autonomy, dignity, and the physician's role in providing comfort, not causing harm, even when faced with requests for euthanasia.

Takeaways

• 📚 Bioethics is the application of ethical principles to matters concerning life, from the beginning to the end, including controversial topics like abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and stem cell research.
• 🌟 Dr. Lisa C. Manalo, a palliative care specialist, highlights the importance of understanding bioethics for medical professionals to make decisions that can impact life and death.
• 🤔 Ethical dilemmas in medicine often involve gray areas, requiring a deep understanding of natural moral law to guide decisions between right and wrong.
• 🗣️ Truth-telling is a critical aspect of medical ethics; Dr. Manalo advocates for transparency with patients about their conditions to allow them closure and resolution.
• 🏥 In the Filipino culture, there's a belief that informing patients of their terminal conditions might lead to depression and hasten death, creating an ethical conflict for medical practitioners.
• 🚫 Dr. Manalo emphasizes that the right to life and human dignity are fundamental, and medical interventions should not merely prolong life without considering quality of life.
• 🤰 The debate on the beginning of life is highlighted, with Dr. Manalo asserting that life begins at conception, challenging the idea of moving the starting point to implantation.
• 🚫 She discusses the complexity of ethical decisions in cases of rape and health risks, advocating for the protection of the unborn child and the mother's well-being.
• 🏠 Financial and social circumstances can influence requests for euthanasia, as seen in a case where a family, unable to afford care, requested it due to poverty.
• ❌ Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are strongly opposed by Dr. Manalo, who promotes palliative care as a way to manage end-of-life suffering without ending life.

Q & A

What is bioethics and why is it significant for the general public?

Bioethics is the application of ethical principles to matters concerning life, from its beginning to its natural end, which includes issues like abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and stem cell research. It is important for the general public to understand bioethics because it guides decisions about life and death, where errors can have severe consequences.

What are the fundamental principles that guide ethical decision-making in bioethics?

The fundamental principles guiding ethical decision-making in bioethics include the natural moral law, which is the innate human ability to discern right from wrong. This principle helps navigate the gray areas often encountered in bioethical dilemmas.

How does Dr. Lisa C. Manalo define a 'good death' in the context of palliative care?

Dr. Lisa C. Manalo shares that a 'good death' is defined by patients as being at peace with God, according to a study conducted in PGH. This contrasts with the medical perspective, which often focuses on pain and symptom control.

What ethical dilemmas arise when patients are no longer lucid and cannot make decisions for themselves?

When patients are no longer lucid, the ethical dilemmas involve balancing the right to life and human dignity. It's crucial to consider the quality of life and the potential for natural death without aggressive life support measures that may cause undue suffering.

What is the medical perspective on when life begins, and how does it relate to bioethical discussions?

From a medical standpoint, life begins at conception, as taught in medical schools and embryology. This perspective is significant in bioethical discussions, especially concerning the beginning of life, such as in debates on abortion and reproductive rights.

How does Dr. Manalo view the practice of artificial contraception in relation to bioethics?

Dr. Manalo discusses artificial contraception as a topic of debate, often redefining the beginning of life to justify its use, contrasting with the Catholic Church's recommendation of Natural Family Planning.

What are the ethical considerations when advising women who have become pregnant due to rape or health risks?

The ethical considerations involve recognizing the rights of both the mother and the unborn child. Dr. Manalo emphasizes that the fetus is innocent, harmless, and defenseless, and that the strong should protect the weak, even when the pregnancy is a result of rape or poses health risks to the mother.

How does Dr. Manalo differentiate between euthanasia and palliative care?

Dr. Manalo differentiates euthanasia, which she describes as 'mercy killing,' from palliative care by stating that the latter aims to eliminate suffering without eliminating the sufferer, unlike euthanasia, which ends the patient's life to end their suffering.

What is physician-assisted suicide, and how does it conflict with the medical profession's ethical oath?

Physician-assisted suicide involves a doctor providing the means for a patient to end their own life. This conflicts with the medical profession's ethical oath, which is to respect and save the lives of patients, not to aid in causing their death.

Can you provide an example of a real-life situation where a request for euthanasia was misunderstood?

Dr. Manalo recounts a case where a son requested euthanasia for his mother, who was on a mechanical ventilator. The son was overwhelmed by the financial and care burden. Dr. Manalo clarified that euthanasia requires the patient's full knowledge and consent, and instead, discussed the option of allowing a natural death with palliative care to manage the patient's comfort.