Over a decade ago the field of bioethics was established in response to the increased control over the design of living organisms afforded by both medical genetics and biotechnology. Since its introduction, bioethics has become established as an academic discipline with journals and professional societies, is covered regularly in the media, and affects people everyday around the globe. In response to the increasing need for information about medical genetics and biotechnology as well as th...

This booklet offers an overview of Catholic tradition on the duty to preserve life and examines recent challenges to that tradition. It also provides advice on how Catholics might make decisions about feeding tubes in situations of life-threatening illness.