Bioethics for Students

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Eighteen broad subject areas examine controversial issues in the life sciences and health-care fields. Some of the topics considered are "Animals," "Death and Dying," "Environment," "Ethics and Law," "Fertility and Reproduction," "Genetics," "Therapies," and "Transplants and Other Technical Devices." Each of these sections addresses 3 to 15 important issues (e.g., "Animal Research," "Euthanasia and Sustaining Life," "Cloning"). Background on the subjects and different points of view are presented. Sidebars offer interesting and relevant facts. Difficult terms are defined in the margins. Each volume has a complete table of contents. Volume four includes a cumulative index and an appendix that describes legal cases that have influenced health-care ethics and medical codes and oaths. While the text is informative, the writing is sometimes dry and overloaded with academic terms. Average-quality black-and-white photographs, diagrams, and cartoons appear throughout. At least one illustration doesn't appear to match its caption ("...fetal activity is monitored by an electronic device" accompanies a poster illustration of horses). A note states that the entries "...are based, to a large extent, on the Encyclopedia of Bioethics, Revised Edition (1995)." This new set incorporates information since 1995 and will serve as an up-to-date introduction to ethical issues.-Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Booknews

This encyclopedia for young people presents balanced introductions to many controversial issues, including: animal research, veterinary ethics, euthanasia, suicide, biodiversity, evolution, hazardous wastes, information disclosure and informed consent, abortion, reproductive technologies, genetic engineering, economic concepts in health-care, abuses of psychiatry, population policies, medical codes and oaths, religious perspectives, human research, gender identity, alternative therapies, biomedical engineering, circumcision, and adoption. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.