Biomedical ethics in the Federal Republic of Germany (F.R.G.)

Biomedical ethics in the FRG is still in an embryonic stage. The Hippocratic tradition of paternalism is still dominant, general debates on ‘Weltanschauungen’ have not yet been replaced by case-study methods and other means of resolving conflicts more effectively in pluralistic societies. Issues such as IVF and embryo research are predominantly treated in legal rather than in moral terms. Some new developments in moral assessment of prenatal care and care of the dying are reported. Allocational disputes over the future of welfare-state health care systems are likely to continue without any major moral or political decision being reached.