The field of Medical Ethics is an area of grave concern today, both to practitioners in the field, and to consumers of their services. From conception to death, there are ethical questions regarding care, withholding of care, experimentation, prolongation of life, quality of life, euthanasia, abortion, birth control, who makes decisions, who has the knowledge and the right to make decisions, etc.

This is a field where the right to know carries strong implications of the burden of knowledge and its ethical use.

In the process of training students in the health professions, the myriad issues of medical ethics must take priority over other considerations. The students must learn the techniques, skills, and medical concepts for their professional roles, but they must also give consideration to the ethical import of the decisions and choices they and their patients must face daily. The case studies designed for this source book are a pathway into discussions, conceptual instruction and critical thinking skills for decisions they must face.