AT AN ETHICAL CROSSROAD

I have, for a considerable time, taught in a private medical institution and whatever I have perceived is first hand. I realize that the students in private medical and dental colleges and their family are in an unenviable position. Medical fees have become exorbitant. Private medical colleges charge huge amounts extra for seats. Large sums of money are needed to break bonds which have been signed. Therefore there is an overwhelming need to make up this investment in practice. Hence the bending and/or alteration of ethical and moral rules have become commonplace. I sympathize with the younger lot who are on the horns of an ethical dilemma, and can only suggest that they be guided by their conscience and that they make a decision that does not harm patients, and most important, one that they can live with.

But one’s conscience, like one’s morality, is a very ambivalent thing; when you do a repeated wrong your conscience rationalizes it to accepting it as the right thing to do, and then you do it with no regrets. Relying only on one’s conscience can be a dangerous downhill journey. But I am not ready to believe that “Ethics is a dying subject”. Then this profession is DEAD and I for one am not willing to let it die for it has been the raison de etre of my existence.

Even those who have been given the responsibility of upholding the moral values and ethical standards in our profession have betrayed our faith, and it is not at all surprising that the President of Medical Council of India was behind bars till very recently! The nexus between the pharmaceutical companies and doctors has metamorphosed the structure of a prescription with newer and costlier antioxidants and probiotics competing to find a place in it and burn a hole in the patient’s pocket.

This ethical degradation is most certainly not restricted to the medical fraternity. With the continuously surfacing scams, particularly in the previous government and scandals in Corporate India, Satyam turning into Asatyam and IPL becoming a cesspool of slush money, the idea that any form of ethics exists in politics and business is suspect. We are also seeing similar situations within the ranks religious leaders and everywhere the Pope goes he has to apologize for the appalling behavior of his brothers. And, the lack of ethics is not confined to India alone. Recently we saw the fiasco with FIFA with suspension of two heavyweights Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini. So, the problem is global! And if the global meltdown had one aetiology it was the melting down of all moral codes and ethical standards!

By definition, ethics reflect the type of morally permissible standards of conduct a group places upon themselves. It is basically a contract with the society an entity serves. Greed, the desire for power, and blind ambition are some of the factors that have all but eliminated ethical standards. We have lost our conscience. It seems that anything one can get away with to reach their defined pinnacle of success is becoming more and more acceptable. But then again, if the size of the bank balance and diameter of the diamond are the only criteria of success in this materialistic world, and if a con man is more respected than an honest school teacher, we have tossed our ethics, morality and conscience for a six!

Once we could say that a strong religious orientation was a good standard to govern our ethical conduct. But today, when religious zealots kill in the name of their God, they taint the idea that religious beliefs always produce ethical behavior. Patriotism was once considered a driver of ethical behavior. Today we see paid news channels going hammer and tongs against the death sentence of a proven terrorist, only because sensationalism sells! This is freedom of speech and expression almost to the point of being treasonous and farthest from journalistic ethics. These are scary times.

But the truth of the matter is that a society without rules is a society that is on the brink of chaos and self destruction. Likewise, a society with the wrong kind of rules will ultimately suffer the same fate. Fortunately we still have much residual ethics left in the world to overcome the current trend. But, like a natural resource, our supply is getting lower and we must reverse this downward spiral otherwise a valuable fabric of human society will disappear.

What about you? Do you have your own personal code of ethics that form the core of your decision making process? Allowing a small slip today, without a checks and balance system, can ultimately lead to a major spill. Bad habits start small and can quickly grow into an unethical monster. Without conscience serving as a standard of measurement, ethics disappear. Start with yourself. Hold "you" to high standards and morally sound ethical principles. By your example, others will begin to see the soundness of your actions. Your life can affect the life of friends and family. Don't underestimate the power of one. Make a difference by teaching the world to return conscience to decision making.