Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine 
 

 

 
 

 

 

 

The necessity of observing ethical liability in bioethics: Instruction 

of the principles of bioethics should be launched from school 

 
Ata Pourabbasi

1*
, Meysam Tavakkoli Bina2, Mahnaz Sanjari

3
 

 
1.Research fellow, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Ehsan 

Educational & Cultural Institute, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical 

Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 
2.PhD Student, Sciences and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; Educational & Cultural Institute, Endocrinology 

and Metabolism Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.  

3. Research fellow, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 

 

*Corresponding author: 

Ata Pourabbasi 

Address: Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Kargar St., Tehran, Iran. 

Tel: (+98) 21 88 22 00 37 

E-mail: atapoura@sina.tums.ac.ir 

 
 

Received: 02 Oct 2010 
Accepted: 26 Dec 2010 
Published: 28 Dec 2010 
J Med Ethics Hist Med. 2010; 3:7. 

 

© 2010 Ata Pourabbasi et al.; licensee Tehran Univ. Med. Sci. 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Introduction 
 

The current students at classrooms and 

schools are the future doctors and health adminis- 

trators of our country. As a matter of fact, their 

current learning would lead to better ways of 

passing the medical and health learning paths. 

Nowadays, high school textbooks are loaded with 

scientific and technical concepts; the very concepts 

the students need in order to succeed in entrance 

exams to medical schools. At high school, the 

students focus on challenging issues such as 

reproductive system, development, neuroscience, 

stem cells science and other challenging issues. 

These topics contain intense academic load 

for learners; and at the same time, they are full of 

spiritual, moral and ethical meanings. When these 

aspects of learning are neglected, new and im- 

mense moral and ethical challenges emerge. This is 

especially true in current cultural background of 

our society; in which moral and cultural challenges 

are discernible. 

One should keep in mind that "morality" de- 

void of beliefs and cognitive principles would 

transform into formal and legal commands. In the 

absence of supervision, it would lead to a disaster. 

So far, notable cases have occurred in scientific 

field. Therefore, creating a basis for moral and 

cognitive beliefs should be considered as a com- 

plementary gesture; the one which should be kept 

in mind at the outset of any scientific or technolo- 

gical learning process. Hence, commitment to the 

necessary and original principles of religion is one 

of the prominent methods of  institutionalized 

medical ethics. 

For example, if the literature for teaching re- 

productive system to students aged 15 to 17 years 

old is not managed properly, it would transform to 

a factor of collapse which leads to moral decadence 

in the society. Likewise, concepts related to 

neuroscience or stem cells research could lead to 

inconsistencies in beliefs, religious teachings and 



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scientific education of the students. Clearly, these 

challenges should be dealt with at a simultaneous 

level to teaching. Consequences of such training 

methods, regardless of problems and moral 

outcomes, would be seen in a generation free from 

any strong cognitive and ethical principles, soon to 

enter the universities and medical schools. 

At the same time, the main ethical beliefs 

should be considered as regularized irrepressible 

manners. The question is, to what extent such a 

generation can be receptive to transcendental 

education on bioethics and medical ethics at 

universities? The answer is clear. 

As this introduction suggests, the transfer of 

ethical values and beliefs should complement the 

existing scientific concepts in school  textbooks. 

The authors of this article are simultaneously 

concerned with bio issues and ethical-faith ones. 

Based on a preliminary needs assessment and 

a designed curriculum for high school students of 

experimental sciences, the first trial phase of the 

plan was executed on third-year students of one 

high school in Tehran. The plan was taught in one 

academic semester; and the program's headings 

were as follows: 

“Vanity, perfection pest”: Pride is always 

harmful to wisdom; especially when the knowledge 

is considered necessary for the community and few 

people can master it. This assumption can be 

verified in all concepts and courses in experimental 

sciences; because knowledge may lead to egocen- 

trism among the adolescents. Nowadays, one of the 

ethical issues making an impact on medical 

community is pride and arrogance against the 

patient (1). 

“Sanctify the spirit, sanctify the body”: The 

medical profession deals with the human body or 

other living creatures. So from a professional 

viewpoint, body is the original theme of the study; 

and this may lead to some challenging situations. 

For example, in autopsy halls of medical schools, 

one is not far from witnessing indignities towards 

the human corpse and dignity. Some examinations 

and interventions performed in this regard are not 

considered as dignifying towards humanity. In this 

course, students would learn that human body as 

well as his soul is valued and respected and it must 

always be appreciated in professional contacts (2). 

“Death, rebirth”: Death is a concept that has a 

major role in ethical teachings of Islam. In so many 

narratives and traditions of our religion, death and 

remembrance of death is a pivotal instrument in 

practicing piety and virtue in human beings. 

Occasionally, in scientific field, the concept of 

death is discussed as a totally natural process. The 

science tries to explain physical and molecular 

aspects of this event; but the  eminence and 

importance of death is hidden in our thoughts. If 

such a phenomenon is presented as only a normal 

biological  process,  the  moral  teachings  of  the 

learners would be useless. In this course, the 

phenomenon of death is regarded as a great 

numinous event. 

“Intellect is inside the proof”: In our religious 

believes, human wisdom and some proofs -such as 

the messengers of God- guide human beings 

towards perfection (3). Some debates in areas of 

neuroscience are trying to simulate the neural 

processes; in order to illustrate molecular and 

cellular functions of the nervous system. As 

mentioned before, such an approach restricts the 

scientific insight to nerves sciences and mental 

processes. It would also present the human wisdom 

as mere collection of chemical reactions. In such a 

situation, the human mind would not be able to act 

as a resource of rational principles and regulations; 

and therefore, commitment to ethical principles 

would be of no importance. 

“From gene to God”: Genetic concepts act as 

bilateral topics in faith and moral regulations. On 

one hand, understanding and thinking about genetic 

themes is the best method to recognize the Creator; 

and on the other hand, astonishing advances in this 

area, such as duplication, artificial life, bio robot, 

etc may lead to unstable mental  approaches 

towards the Creator. Therefore,  transmissions of 

these themes can play a crucial role in reinforcing 

the profundity of religious beliefs in young 

students. Such doctrines can be used in promoting 

ethical and ideological standards of medical 

community in future. 

When young people learn that pride is always 

harm to wisdom; they would have no problem in 

accepting professional  codes of ethics in future. 

Teenagers should learn that the human body is 

respected by its credible spirit. In doing so, they 

would not be inclined to vainly injuring even a 

rabbit in labs and classes. In the same way, they 

would accept patients' bodies and souls as respect- 

ful; and they would not behave differently in their 

investigation and studying of human body. 

When the concept of death is shaped in a stu- 

dent's mind, he/she would not be ignorant to it in 

his/her professional challenges. So when a patient 

is in pain, the doctor (the ex-student) would not be 

able to sit calmly in his room. So the adolescent 

who learns scientific discoveries should not 

underestimate the mind authority. Relying on this 

authority would  show him/her  numerous profes- 

sional ethics in the future. 

It should not be forgotten that, the science as 

general and biology as particular are bilateral issues 

regarding the intellectual teachings. It means that 

on one hand, it can be consistent with ethical 

obligations and on the other hand it can be in 

conflict with it (4). So far, there is no adequate 

attention to moral-religious training alongside 

medical education. But the public health needs 

them both. Ignorance towards this particular point 

would lead to misinterpretations regarding personal 



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values and beliefs among young people. To prevent 

this, scientific studies in eastern world should be 

suitable to the values of these societies. 

Learning these concepts in adolescence and in 

schools has a much more lasting effect compared to 

their learning in an older age. It would be imprinted 

on teenagers' minds and it would also facilitate the 

transference of medical ethics' teaching in universi- 

ties and colleges. 

As it follows, other educational topics are de- 

signed according to scientific concepts and the 

educational needs of students and they will be 

presented in the next academic year. The future of 

this project will be based on accurate professional 

assessments and designing issues in the academic 

level and interdisciplinary courses. The emphasis 

on age and developing period especially in high 

school is basically meant to modify fundamental of 

ethics in medical societies. 

Keep in mind that this approach to bioethics' 

education for students is a new approach and the 

headings are provided according to assessment 

needs. Since  this approach emphasizes the prin- 

ciples of Islamic ethics, authors were not able to 

find similar educational content in the other 

countries. A number of activities on bioethics' 

education have been performed in some countries 

such as China, Japan, Philippine and India; and all 

of them have been based on cultural characteristics 

of the respective country (5). 

In this approach, innovation provides an op- 

portunity to evaluate the effectiveness of education. 

After revision, this curriculum would be suitable 

enough to be distributed, at least among Islamic 

countries. 

 

 

 

 

References 

 

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2. Larijani B. Physician and Ethical Concerns. Overview on Ethical Principles. Tehran: Baray-e-Farda; 1383, Vol 1. 

(in Persian) 

3. Koleini. Kafee Principles, 4th edition. Tehran: Islamieh Darolkotob; 1365, Vol 1, p. 15. (in Persian) 

4. Barbo E. Science and Religion. Translated by Khoramshahi B. Tehran: University Press; 1362. (in Persian) 

5. Macer D. Bioethics education for informed citizens across cultures. Sch Sci Rev 2004; 86(315): 83-6.