Medicine, torture, the death penalty and the democratic state: from collaboration to emancipation

Autores

  • Dirceu B. Greco
  • James Welsh

Resumo

Abstract

Abuses of medicine have taken place over past decades in the context of torture and the death penalty. Serious and totally unacceptable breaches of medical ethics and human rights have occurred in institutions caring for vulnerable
people. And yet there is still a need to make visible the whole spectrum of violence and breaches of human rights and to challenge them. This paper discusses a wide range of abuses in which medical professionals may take part
whether as witnesses, bystanders or participants. It also addresses changes that are needed to benefit citizens at risk of abuse and to strengthen the ethical practice of medicine. The frequently-used term “empowerment” as applied
to populations at risk signals a step in the right direction but usually involves the top-down giving of limited power to people. What oppressed people need is to claim their human rights – to emancipate themselves.

Keywords: Bioethics. Ethics. Human rights. Torture. Capital punishment.

Palavras-chave:

Bioethics. Ethics. Human rights. Torture. Capital punishment.

Biografia do Autor

Dirceu B. Greco

Médico pela Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (FMUFMG), infectologista pela Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia, especialista em Imunologia Clínica pela Universidade Estadual de Nova Iorque (Buffalo) e pela Universidade de Londres e doutor em Medicina Tropical (FMUFMG). Professor titular do departamento de Clínica Médica da Faculdade de Medicina da UFMG e coordenador de Seminários em Bioética no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical da UFMG.

Como Citar

1.
Greco DB, Welsh J. Medicine, torture, the death penalty and the democratic state: from collaboration to emancipation. Rev. bioét.(Impr.). [Internet]. 21º de março de 2019 [citado 2º de dezembro de 2024];27(1). Disponível em: http://revistabioetica.cfm.org.br/revista_bioetica/article/view/1933