Iranian Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine

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The most basic research in the area of human science is the research about human beings and people, while the first introduction to the immense concept of people is facing independence towards defining this concept because we feel the instances of it every day. Lack of attention in human recognition can prevent us from reaching generalized results and therefore, will lead us to transient decisions. But in fact there are some trembling parts towards human recognition, like getting far from the definition of concept, the inseparability of living species from each other up to dismissing the reality of specie's existence, a quick glance to the challenges of extraverts, ambiguity of biological definitions (morphological, fertilization, genetical and behavioral) and also lack of logical definitions.
From our point of view, there is no pervasive criterion about humanistic living therefore, the rights and characteristics which we consider for human beings are related to the humanistic living from a philosophical view point. To attach this expansion, the philosophical human beings and its differences are incorporated into the minimal human. It is clear that there is no incorporation the same as this rule and we should overcome some steps about them, if not, this incorporation will get beyond the philosophical control of human. In a steady view, what makes a difference from human beings and other creatures is not the biological definition of them, while in the approval view sometimes this definition is the only tool to separate the people. Autonomy and free choice are the exact criterion for this recognition.

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The medical Arjuze is one of the less known works of Avicenna, a great Iranian scientist and physician, which is written didactically in Arabic. In this book, Avicenna has composed 1326 lines about a complete cycle of traditional medicine of Iran in Arabic in the form of battle cry. Didactic poetry is one of the poetry forms which its main purpose is to provide educational aims and to convey scientific terms both in literature and poetical way. Avicenna's poetry in Arjuze is simple and fluent. The medical topics are overviewed in a sketchy way and not in full details in this book. In this book, theoretical and practical medicines are explained in two specific parts.
The existence of French and English translations of Arjuze shows the value of this work for Europeans as a complete outline about medicine in that time, but there is no Persian translation of this work, available. Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine Research Centre of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences has started the translation of medical Arjuze with the aim of introducing this precious work which shows the educational pattern of traditional Iranian scientists in using didactic poetry.
The purpose of this article is to introduce the characteristics of Avicenna's Arjuze with an overview of his position in modern traditional medicine.

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Presumption of innocence is one of the fundamental principles of criminal law that has its roots in moral and religious principles. Presumption of innocence is consistent with human nature, and special attention has been paid to it in Islam. For this reason it has been included in our constitutional law as well as in the constitutions and ordinary laws of other nations, and this indicates its significance. In Shiite jurisprudence there are two major theories on the responsibility of physicians as “daman al-tabib”. Most jurists (famous) consider the physician responsible even if he or she has committed no fault. Only a minority of jurists (less-known) consider the physician to have no responsibility. Islamic criminal law believes the physician to have absolute liability, although medical practices have become more sensitive than in the past and medical incidents have increased as a result of new technology and new methods of treatment. The present study intends to adopt a new approach to rules and principles of jurisprudence, and study the necessity of using them according to the requirements of time in solving everyday problems. Moreover, the study seeks ways to prevent the regression of those rules. Therefore, it seems essential that the golden principle of presumption of innocence be applied to physicians as the manifestation of God's healing, and more attention be paid to it.

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In order to achieve teamwork-based and integrated care, one of the issues in health care is the implementation of ethics and values in teamwork. The aim of this study is to develop the interprofessional collaborative ethics framework.This cross sectional study was conducted in two phases. In phase one, core competencies of the interprofessional collaborative ethics were determined by literature review. In phase two, Delphi rounds of experts were undertaken to validate the competencies and calculate content validity indexes through Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI).The interviews and Delphi rounds identified 12 competencies categorized in three core themes including patient-centered values, interprofessional collaborative ethics, and team-based values. In phase two, based on the mean scores of importance, utility, and clarity, patient center value (4.9), interprofessional ethics competencies (4.6), and team-based values (4.5) were determined as essential themes.In conclusion, the validation of the inter-professional ethics framework was found to be acceptable in the Iranian context. Therefore, the framework for teaching and evaluating inter-professional ethical competencies is an applicable tool in the Iranian context.

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Recent provisions to the Islamic Penal Code have provided favorable regulations that absolve the skilled physician from absolute liability and adjust liability according to fault. The revised code adopts a new approach by allowing physicians more freedom while providing added protection, which is consistent with ethical standards and Jurisprudential principles. The present paper aimed to investigate the development process of statutory laws in Iran regarding medical liability and at the same time analyze articles of the Islamic Penal Code of 2013 on the subject. Some articles have been found to contain ambiguities that need to be modified. As an instance there seems to be a conflict between Article 492 and Clause 1 of Article 496 that should be resolved as it pertains to a case of the cause and the perpetrator (physician and nurse). In these situations the doctor orders and the nurse acts, and it is therefore necessary and proper that physicians not be absolved from liability.

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The nature of human dignity is among the most basic queries about the essence of humanity, and research in this area can produce results that may be applied to various health related topics. There is a need for defining comprehensive criteria for the bio-human in order to protect human rights and other values that are attributable to human biology.The present paper first attempts to determine whether abstraction is the base of human dignity, as opposed to contraction. The authors argue that the former may not be the case, as dignity is value-based and therefore implicates moral orders. Such issues cannot be abstracted from external existence, so one can assume contraction to be the base of human dignity. In that case, contraction requires a contractor or an origin for contraction. Self-contracted values are invalid and worthless, and by the same token, external existences are incapable of dignity. Therefore, a stable contractor is required to justify stability and the native essence of contracted dignity, and only God can be that stable, conscious, senior contractor.Among the criteria for dignity, the authors focus on those essential characteristics that differentiate humans from other organisms, and argue that these could be considered as the basis for dignity.

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The criteria for human dignity are among the most important topics associated with the concept. Some related questions are what makes man worthy of dignity, and what properties make him more dignified than other creatures? Although biological classifications of species should be considered in humanities, research on dignity must focus on differences that are fundamental and separate humans from all other species. Morphological, genetic and communal differences cannot be the criteria for dignity, and behaviors are subject to individual outlooks. This manner of reasoning guided scholars to categorize humans on the basis of wisdom, but the author of the present article believes that wisdom cannot be the criterion for dignity. There is a degree of intelligence and wisdom in other creatures that is not sufficient to make a fundamental differentiating factor. Like other faculties, wisdom may be regarded as an instrument for a better life. The authors believes that the “authority” to choose (that is, free will) is the essential difference between humans and other creatures because the latter are driven only by their structures or needs. This authority enables people to choose between good and bad or desirable and undesirable, and shapes most human values. Consequently, this authority creates the basis for dignity and any given type of choice passes its value on to the chooser.

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Ethics is important in all professions, particularly in nursing, since morality and commitment in nurses can play a significant role in improving patients’ health and recovery. The nursing profession is therefore rooted in ethics, and the observance of nursing ethics is more important than other aspects of health care. This study aimed to determine patient's views on standards of professional ethics in nursing practice in Imam Hussain Hospital during 2015.

This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 575 patients in different wards of Imam Hussein Hospital in Shahroud. Research instrument was a 22-item questionnaire designed by the researchers to evaluate nurses’ observance of professional ethics in the three dimensions of accountability, improvement of care quality, and respect for patients. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20 software.

The mean age of participants in this study was 51.32 (± 19.03), and 299 participants (52%) were male. The mean total score of professionalism was 18.38 (± 2.74), and the relationship between age and observance of professional ethics was statistically significant (P = 0.006).

According to the subjects of this study, the nurses’ observance of professional ethics was relatively good and at a desirable level. It is recommended to utilize a variety of learning styles and employ the services of professors of nursing ethics in order to enhance the quality of nursing education with respect to professional ethics.

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Empathy is a necessary condition for an effective nursing care. An empathetic relationship between nurse and patients leads to positive treatment outcomes and moral sensitivity among students in clinical and educational environments. This study was conducted in 2014 to determine the level of empathy among nursing students and its relationship with their demographic data. A cross-sectional study (Descriptive analysis) was undertaken using paper-based versions of the Jefferson Scale of nursing Empathy. By using stratified random sampling, 320 undergraduate students from the first to forth-year of their program in Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected.

The result shows that participants reported good empathy levels, and the average of empathy score was 103 ±11. Empathy scores increased with increasing academic year. There was a significant relationship between sex and empathy. Students who did not passed the effective communication course scored higher than their counterparts. Empathy score increased with age, and older students recorded higher scores than their younger colleagues. Single and employed students recorded higher empathy scores than married and unemployed students.

There were no significant differences between the place of living (dormitory versus personal house), Interest in nursing education as well as their marks.

Regarding the relationship between empathy with students’ academic years, the finding offers insights into the importance of incorporating and promoting empathy in nursing curricula from the first year of training.

In addition, it is necessary to pay more attention to teaching empathy to male students.

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Reproduction and fertility are considered a substantial need for the survival of the human race and has seen its ups and downs. Advances in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ARTs) have brought some changes as well as challenge in human reproduction. For instance, involvement of a third-party in pregnancy has become a challenging practice. Given the rapid application of ARTs in Iran, obscure aspects and consequences associated with this technology need to be elaborated. The present study aimed at investigating the identity and rights of children resulting from ARTs based on the existing laws and the opinions of the contemporary Shi’ite Grand Ayatollahs. First, by reviewing the sources of Islamic law as well as searching the legal and reliable electronic resources -using key terms such as parentage, guardianship, embryo donation and infertility- the existing laws and regulations about ARTs have been analyzed. Then, by a qualitative method, written opinions of some contemporary Shi’ite Grand Ayatollahs regarding the identity and the rights of a child born by involvement of a third party were collected. The result shows inconsistency between the opinion of the contemporary Islamic jurists and the existing law about embryo donation. Islamic Jurists believe that the child of embryo donation does not belong to the recipient couple. However, according to the Embryo Donation Act, in particular with regard to the duties placed upon infertile couples, who receive the donated embryo, implicitly accept the recipient couple as the parents of the child. This eventually leaves the child with an identity crisis besides deprivation of citizenship rights in some cases. Accordingly, as the current rules and legislations of Iran conflicts with views of the Islamic jurists, to resolve this problem, a revision to accept the recipients as legal parents of the child is necessary.

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“Koran” had affirmed “Human Dignity” but in other verse, it had mentioned “Caliphate/Substitution” and “Deposit” about human in comparison with other creatures that they had difficult and covered interpretations. “The choice of good and evil” as Human Dignity criterion, makes it easy and transparent.
“Deposit” verse says Human accepts Deposit and others refuse it because of 2 adjectives: “Zaloom” and “Jahool” from roots of oppression and ignorance. Interpretations are different in meaning this adjective and their relation to deposit. If deposit is choosing, it can make oppression and justice and knowledge and ignorance. Then “FAOOL” structure in Arabic can show potency of action/adjective. Thus, they mean potent for oppression and ignorance like justice and knowledge. It means choosing potency, not actual ugliness.
In “Caliphate” verse, angels say to God that Human creation tend to corruption and killing. God hadn’t refused it but had referred to an upper knowledge. If Caliphate is good choosing too along justice and knowledge, angels had seen properly contemporaneous ignorance and oppression and corruption and killing but they couldn’t recognize the difference between good free discretion and their algebraic goodness that is caliphate and moral similarity and free worship of God with Lordship essence.

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