Las fronteras de la autonomía en el ámbito clínicoel caso de los "wannabe".

  1. Alemany García, Macario
Revista:
Anuario de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

ISSN: 1575-8427

Año de publicación: 2014

Título del ejemplar: Las fronteras del derecho biosanitario.

Número: 18

Páginas: 231-248

Tipo: Artículo

Otras publicaciones en: Anuario de la Facultad de Derecho de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Resumen

This article deals, from the point of view of bioethics, with the unusual case of some individuals who ask for the amputation of a healthy limb (the case of "wannabes"). It mainly takes into account the events described in the documentary "Whole", in particular two amputations performed by the surgeon Robert Smith on two "wannabes", a decade ago in Scotland. The article argues that all morally correct medical interventions must satisfy two conditions: the condition of medical responsibility and the condition of respect for autonomy. Smith's professional behavior appears to go beyond the limits of that responsibility turning him liable from misconduct. However, if it is accepted that the "wannabe" involved were competent to make decisions regarding their mental illness, the can said to share the accountability for the operation with Smith and, things considered, it could be defended that those amputations were morally correct. The article also holds that if the analogy between these assumptions and gender identity disorders is correct, the procedures for accepting a request for sex reassignment surgery should be taken as a model. Finally, the author stresses the importance of the public health perspective on this issue and is cautious as to whether that perspective might radically change the above findings.

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