Case Study: Principles of Distributive Justice in Healthcare

This case study delves into the application of distributive justice principles in medical ethics, specifically focusing on a scenario involving pregnancy and potential health complications. The analysis highlights how medical professionals utilize established decision-making systems, such as the principle of distributive justice, to navigate complex ethical dilemmas. The assignment emphasizes the importance of prioritizing human life while considering the precarious nature of certain medical conditions. Furthermore, the case study underscores the significance of ethical guidelines and worldly wisdom in facilitating effective decision-making processes within the healthcare domain. The provided bibliography supports the arguments made in the case study, and the overall analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the ethical considerations involved in medical practice.

Hi,
The case that you have discussed can be seen from a different lens view, in general the medical
science looks at it with the help of a pre-determined decision-making system. This system is
known as the “principle of distributive justice.” According to this system the present case can be
treated under the principle of the best chances of survival. A baby always has a fair chance to
survive because of the inherent power given by nature.
Any medical condition cannot force the termination of the pregnancy unless it is precarious and
the subject is under the threat that it might reach in a terminal state where it can move both the
ways. It can return or it can die. In the present case, it is only a probability. Let’s assume that a
doctor finds that the mother is in a precarious condition. In this case he will treat the fetus in the
terminal state and woman as a “subject under the threat of losing a life (Platz, 2016).”
For a professional, there is no such thing as emotions. They need to go for the best solutions
while operating a pregnant patient, the principle of the distributive justice clearly states that a
fetus is vegetable whereas the pregnant lady is a human and humans should be given preference.
This example corroborates your fact that the process of decision making can be made simpler
under the light of right principles, guidelines, and worldly wisdom.

Bibliography
Platz, J. (2016). Principles of Distributive Justice. The Palgrave handbook of Philosophy and
Public Policy , https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-93907-0_31.