John Paul II’s teaching on medical ethics

Abstract

The vision of John Paul II on medical ethics has been clearly declared in all his Petrine ministry. From the content of documents and speeches directed to doctors and health workers echoed the will of the Pope to look at their service as the unique vocation. Medical ethics is an ethics department dealing with the moral aspects of the relationship between a physician and patient and between healthcare professionals. Together with medical ethics and bioethics it creates a group of sciences evaluating attitudes and actions concerned with the health and life of humans. Significant basis for medical ethics was created by Pythagorean philosophy and its idea of the sanctity of life and the duty to respect it. Pythagorean ideas were close to the biblical message, in which the sanctity of innocent human life is the most authoritative justification, and the suffering and illness are interpreted as evil darkening the goodness of God the Creator. In the context of these conditions the medical ministry and its principles are also interpreted. The issue of respect for the dignity of conscience, both the doctor and the patient is of high importance here. Proceedings of a physician which is in accordance with the requirements of conscience is identified with the faithful service of life and human health, with all available options. His conscience is not an autonomous instance, which leaves complete freedom to choose the forms and goals. The reference point must always be the dignity of the patient, as well as ethical principles resulting from this idea. John Paul II was the proponent of conscience clause.