(July 9, 2013 at 3:10 am)orogenicman Wrote: I question the ethics as well as the legality of performing such an operation on people who are confined against their will, regardless of whether or not they want it. And mind you, all we have here is the doctor's word that they actually wanted it.
if they wanted it, why would it be unethical to perform it? (provided informed consent and so on.)
The way that the doctor presents the option is, to me, the key to whether or not it's ethical. It seems to me that the doctor should have a list of criteria (completely health-based) on who he would recommend tubal ligation to. And he has to make it clear that it is completely up to the patient, and that it would in no way affect the patient's care and privileges at the facility. Also since i think it's a bit inevitable that patients may feel like they have to say yes, or they may not get good treatment if they disagree with the doctor, the doctor should try his best to prevent them feeling this way.
This is how researchers recruit patients into clinical trials, to prevent anyone from feeling like they have to do something they don't want to.
And then of course, the doctor should explain what the procedure does, why he recommends it, what her other options are, side-effects, etc. etc.
I mean doctors usually just recommend things, but in a prison, where the patients are likely to feel like they shouldn't fall out of favour with the doctor, doctors should be extra careful not to cause their patients to feel pressured into a decision.
