Ethical issues in Family Medicine

Abstract

Within the medical, technological advances raise profound questions concerning death, psychotropic drugs, genetic engineering and reproductive technologies. Outside of medicine, the public is concerned about the behavior of the medical profession, the role of technology in their lives and the unstoppable growth of health care costs. Given this moral crisis the current trend has been to reflect on the great ethical issues, snatching the doctors and the general public, such as euthanasia, abortion, human experimentation and genetic engineering, at the risk of not understanding the meaning moral problems more mundane but more pervasive, occurring in the daily practice of the GP. But there will be specific ethical problems in the practice of Family Medicine   We think not, but we are of the opinion that certain ethical problems are certainly more frequent, although not unique in this area of ??medicine. These ethical dilemmas stem from the attitudes and skills specific to this medical profession. From the definition of the profession published by the Royal College of General Practioners withdraw some aspects that seem, by their importance, deserve a special consideration to the principles of medical ethics: a health education, disease prevention, conflict between good being of the individual and the welfare of the family, the role of "gatekeeper" of MF and quality in health and finally the role of provider and user of MF rationing health.