فصلنامه اخلاق زیستی
پیاپی 30 (زمستان 1397)

The emergence of AIDS has caused many challenges in various areas, including health. One of the pioneering countries for HIV control is the United States of America. This study aimed to compare the related regulations to confidentiality of information in people living with HIV among different states of the America.

In this comparative study, the related laws and regulations to confidentiality of information in people living with HIV among different states of the America were purposefully searched and compared.

Different states of the United States have adopted different regulations (in terms of text) and almost the same (in terms of content) regarding protection of the various aspects of the dimensions of confidentiality of information in people living with HIV. Some states, in addition to enacting a specific law, use the general provisions on contagious diseases to resolve HIV-related issues. In most states, informed consent is required for an HIV test, although the age and conditions are different in children. In all states, information in people living with HIV was kept confidential. However, in some states, according to some conditions, information can be disclosed for the health department, sexual partners or the court. Differences in the level of the protection of information in different states, as well as the dispersion of these regulations in each state, can resulted in disclosure of information, stigma, discrimination and depriving the patients from health care services and threating public health.

According to the results, it is recommended that in order to reduce the stigma and discrimination and to connect the HIV positive test results to the care and treatment services, the requirements related to consent, privacy and confidentiality of information, revised and reformed in the frame of the public health law for Prevention and control of HIV.

Different arguments have been ethically presented in opposition to abortion. This study aim to review Marquis’s argument on "a future similar to our future" and present a new account of his argument based on holistic view to the human being.

In this analytical study, after purposeful searching and reviewing the related texts and articles, Marquis' view on the misconception of abortion have been explained and the critique that other scholars have made on this view has been analyzed. Finally, a new account based on holistic view to the man has provided.

Marquis is one of the philosophers who with the argument of "the future of our future" have taken a view from a new angle in opposing abortion. According to his argument, abortion is not morally permissible because it deprives the fetus of a future similar to our future. Therefore, it is not permissible to kill any animal other than humans, because the future of some actual mammals in our planet may be similar to our future. Also, according to the theory of personhood, the only reason of incorrectness of abortion is not being human. Based on holistic view to the man, if we consider man with two dimensions of body and soul, then we are still not allowed to abort, because the fetus is deprived of the material future similar to our future as well as its spiritual future.

It can be concluded that although Marquis's claim is facing challenges, it is possible to solve these challenges with a holistic view to the human being.

Although hypnosis is a controversial issue, but most of doctors and psychologists consider it an effective and powerful therapy for a wide range of conditions, such as personality disorders, anxiety and pain. The present study analyzes the legitimacy of hypnosis based on Islamic jurisprudence and four principles of bioethics.

In this analytical study, the published texts and related articles were purposefully searched and reviewed, and then the jurisprudential reasons about hypnosis as an emerging issue, and its legitimacy based on Islamic jurisprudence and consistency with four principles of bioethics were discussed and analyzed.

There are three jurisprudential views on hypnosis and its utilization. For some jurisprudents, hypnosis is classified as magic, which is forbidden to do so. Some other jurisprudents have allowed the use of hypnosis, if necessary. There is a third view that it is considered as an emerging issue, and a legal and ethical rule must be elicit about it. The principle of respect for autonomy about hypnosis are essentially in conflict with what is in Shari'a but in the three other principles of bioethics, namely, beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice, these principles are consistent with what has been enshrined in the Shari'a.

Given the emergence of the issue of hypnosis, it can be concluded that, based on the rule of noharm in Islamic jurisprudence and bioethics, the use of hypnosis in medicine is permitted, if necessary

Digital world as well as cyberspace are undergoing a rapid change and evolution. Emerging new technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics have raised fundamental ethical challenges related to the privacy and data protection in virtual space by the controllers. This study explains general data protection regulations (GDPR) and then analyzes its impact on Iran's regulations and citizenship rights in cyberspace.

In this analytical study, using library method, the ethical dimensions of privacy and protection of cyber data are discussed and analyzed.

The study of the GDPR and the compilation of country-specific laws based on religious principles showed that combining these two perspectives could reduce abusing and doing crime in cyberspace. Therefore, these ethical and legal considerations should be included in the laws of the majority of countries, and in particular the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the GDPR.

These ethical concerns and responsibilities should be included in the laws of most countries, in particular the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the near future by the authorities, based on the provisions of the GDPR. Also, training staff on cyber security, the use of relevant security software and the provision of free educational resources can be effective in preventing crime and utilizing cyber-space, especially in financial matters.