Retorts

Ethics Required

It seemed most appropos to read the item on ethics in your latest issue ["Science Code of Ethics Flawed", Mar] given some recent ethical dilemma that have made the news.

Good ethics are important in any professional occupation, and it is vital that those entering professions are given a solid basis of ethics from which to work. At the very least, they should be made well aware that there are some things which are acceptable (personally, professionally and in business) and some things that are not.

It seems that discussion of ethics is sadly lacking in many areas of tertiary study these days, which should give us all cause for concern. What, if any, required courses are there for anyone to study ethics, or is such seen as merely another option in an area of philosophy that should concern none but the philosophy student?

Certainly, as Mr Nathan points out, it is most important that professionals such as engineers and scientists, meet generally accepted ethical standards. I would venture to say that it is even more important that people such as doctors are well grounded in the ethics of their profession.

It was shocking to hear recent reports of a doctor prescribing significant quantities of vitamin supplements for which she was receiving a 25% payment from the multi-level marketing company supplier. What was worse was to hear justification based on the lines that all doctors receive incentives from pharmaceutical companies, therefore the action was ethically acceptable!

Perhaps it is time that ethics was made a requirement for those in the medical profession if such attitudes are prevalent.

K. Kerr, Christchurch