Bioethics Practice Exam UPDATED
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
When considering the duty not to lie to a patient and the duty to not cause needless suffering
to the patient, which method would W.D. Ross use to decide the more stringent duty?
1. Intuition
2. Deductive Logic
3. Inductive Reasoning
4. Scientific Method - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Intuition
Ross is generally regarded as the father of the intuitionist school of ethics.
To maintain the integrity of a clinical study, investigators do not tell participants if the
participants are receiving treatment of a placebo, thus creating a conflict with the usual
requirements for informed consent. Which moral principle would validate this action?
1. Principle of utility
2. Principle of justice
3. Principle of non maleficence
4. Principle of respect for autonomy. - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Principle of utility.
The purpose of withholding information is to maximize the value of the study for future
patients. This is the focus of the principle of utility.
Tom Anderson, the new administrator of City Hospital, is about to conduct his first meeting
with the hospital's Board of Ethics. The other members of the 4-member board are physician
Brown, nurse Carter, and professional ethicist Dillon. Today's order of buisiness is to
determine the end-of-life treatment for four patients. Each board member has one vote and
,three of four votes are necessary to justify euthanasia, so, before the meeting, Anderson
decides to vote to discontinue all life-suppport measures for all four patients.
The first case discussed concerns an older female patient, Easterly, for whom medical
intervention, both quantitative and qualitative, appears futile. Three of the four Board
members vote to disconnect Easterly's respirator. Only Brown votes no, arguing for
transferring her to a hospice.
The outcome of the next vote is also three to one in favor of discontinuing life-support
measures for the - CORRECT ANSWER 1. The move to a hospice would cause more
pain.
This uses a utilitarian principle to minimize the pain that results from our actions.
The children of a patient who is in a persistent vegetative state and dependent on a ventilator
want the ventilator removed because the patient's condition is causing them great distress.
Which course of action could best be supported by Kantian ethics?
1. It is not permissible to remove the ventilator only to benefit the patient's children.
2. It is not permissible to remove the ventilator for the purpose of respecting patient
autonomy.
3. It is permissible to remove the ventilator if it can be used to treat more worthy patients.
4. It is permissible to remove the ventilator if the patient's children will greatly benefit from
it. - CORRECT ANSWER 1. It is not permissible to remove the ventilator only to
benefit the patient's children.
Removing the ventilator to benefit the children would be unacceptable to a Kantian because
it would be using the patient as a means.
A physician discreetly moves his mother to the top of the list to receive a vaccine that is in
short supply. How is this action best described?
,1. Displaying the virtue of honesty
2. Fulfilling his moral duty of fairness
3. Showing compassion for his patient
4. Experiencing a conflict among virtues - CORRECT ANSWER 4. Experiencing a
conflict among virtues.
The physician is in a conflict between caring for his mother and for his other patients who
also require a vaccine.
Which patters of distribution of wealth would conform to Rawls's difference principle?
Distribution on the basis of promoting
1. Merit
2. Effort
3. Potential contribution to society
4. The welfare of the least advantaged - CORRECT ANSWER 4. The welfare of the
least advantaged
This describes Rawls's difference principle.
How can treatment for AIDS be best improved for the African American community?
1. Improve the availability of medications
2. Establish greater credibility of the medical establishment
3. Improve AIDS testing for the community
4. Expand clinical trials for AIDS in the community - CORRECT ANSWER 2.
Establish greater credibility of the medical establishment
, This is the best way to encourage African Americans to be tested, take the appropriate
medications, and participate in clinical trials. This may happen through education and
producing more African American physicians.
In which Philosopher's ethical theory would the deceptive use of placebos always be
considered morally wrong?
1. Kant
2. MIll
3. John Rawls
4. W.D. Ross - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Kant
Kant: placebo use involves withholding information from a patient/research subject. It is
morally illegitimate because it denies respect and dignity to which a person is entitled.
In Canada, which problem resulted from the decision to have most health services covered
for the entire population?
1. The system quickly became bankrupt
2. Services became severely overburdened
3. Disease prevention received less emphasis
4. Availability of higher cost services became limited - CORRECT ANSWER 4.
Availability of higher cost services became limited.
Large scale availability of expensive technology and services because limited since funds
became limited and basic care became emphasized.
According to the Nuremberg Code, under which condition may a human subject withdraw
from a research project?
1. Whenever the subject so wishes
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
When considering the duty not to lie to a patient and the duty to not cause needless suffering
to the patient, which method would W.D. Ross use to decide the more stringent duty?
1. Intuition
2. Deductive Logic
3. Inductive Reasoning
4. Scientific Method - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Intuition
Ross is generally regarded as the father of the intuitionist school of ethics.
To maintain the integrity of a clinical study, investigators do not tell participants if the
participants are receiving treatment of a placebo, thus creating a conflict with the usual
requirements for informed consent. Which moral principle would validate this action?
1. Principle of utility
2. Principle of justice
3. Principle of non maleficence
4. Principle of respect for autonomy. - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Principle of utility.
The purpose of withholding information is to maximize the value of the study for future
patients. This is the focus of the principle of utility.
Tom Anderson, the new administrator of City Hospital, is about to conduct his first meeting
with the hospital's Board of Ethics. The other members of the 4-member board are physician
Brown, nurse Carter, and professional ethicist Dillon. Today's order of buisiness is to
determine the end-of-life treatment for four patients. Each board member has one vote and
,three of four votes are necessary to justify euthanasia, so, before the meeting, Anderson
decides to vote to discontinue all life-suppport measures for all four patients.
The first case discussed concerns an older female patient, Easterly, for whom medical
intervention, both quantitative and qualitative, appears futile. Three of the four Board
members vote to disconnect Easterly's respirator. Only Brown votes no, arguing for
transferring her to a hospice.
The outcome of the next vote is also three to one in favor of discontinuing life-support
measures for the - CORRECT ANSWER 1. The move to a hospice would cause more
pain.
This uses a utilitarian principle to minimize the pain that results from our actions.
The children of a patient who is in a persistent vegetative state and dependent on a ventilator
want the ventilator removed because the patient's condition is causing them great distress.
Which course of action could best be supported by Kantian ethics?
1. It is not permissible to remove the ventilator only to benefit the patient's children.
2. It is not permissible to remove the ventilator for the purpose of respecting patient
autonomy.
3. It is permissible to remove the ventilator if it can be used to treat more worthy patients.
4. It is permissible to remove the ventilator if the patient's children will greatly benefit from
it. - CORRECT ANSWER 1. It is not permissible to remove the ventilator only to
benefit the patient's children.
Removing the ventilator to benefit the children would be unacceptable to a Kantian because
it would be using the patient as a means.
A physician discreetly moves his mother to the top of the list to receive a vaccine that is in
short supply. How is this action best described?
,1. Displaying the virtue of honesty
2. Fulfilling his moral duty of fairness
3. Showing compassion for his patient
4. Experiencing a conflict among virtues - CORRECT ANSWER 4. Experiencing a
conflict among virtues.
The physician is in a conflict between caring for his mother and for his other patients who
also require a vaccine.
Which patters of distribution of wealth would conform to Rawls's difference principle?
Distribution on the basis of promoting
1. Merit
2. Effort
3. Potential contribution to society
4. The welfare of the least advantaged - CORRECT ANSWER 4. The welfare of the
least advantaged
This describes Rawls's difference principle.
How can treatment for AIDS be best improved for the African American community?
1. Improve the availability of medications
2. Establish greater credibility of the medical establishment
3. Improve AIDS testing for the community
4. Expand clinical trials for AIDS in the community - CORRECT ANSWER 2.
Establish greater credibility of the medical establishment
, This is the best way to encourage African Americans to be tested, take the appropriate
medications, and participate in clinical trials. This may happen through education and
producing more African American physicians.
In which Philosopher's ethical theory would the deceptive use of placebos always be
considered morally wrong?
1. Kant
2. MIll
3. John Rawls
4. W.D. Ross - CORRECT ANSWER 1. Kant
Kant: placebo use involves withholding information from a patient/research subject. It is
morally illegitimate because it denies respect and dignity to which a person is entitled.
In Canada, which problem resulted from the decision to have most health services covered
for the entire population?
1. The system quickly became bankrupt
2. Services became severely overburdened
3. Disease prevention received less emphasis
4. Availability of higher cost services became limited - CORRECT ANSWER 4.
Availability of higher cost services became limited.
Large scale availability of expensive technology and services because limited since funds
became limited and basic care became emphasized.
According to the Nuremberg Code, under which condition may a human subject withdraw
from a research project?
1. Whenever the subject so wishes
