The treatment of addiction as a biological, psychological, social, and spiritual disease requires a high standard of ethical knowledge and professional skill. This groundbreaking, reader-friendly guide to contemporary ethical issues informs and challenges health care professionals, students, and faculty with a thorough and compassionate examination of the dilemmas faced when providing care for individuals suffering from substance use problems or addiction.

Renowned psychiatric ethicists Cynthia Geppert and Laura Weiss Roberts tackle issues of autonomy, respect for persons, confidentiality, truth telling and nonmaleficence -- setting the standard for contemporary ethical practices. These challenges are illuminated with real-world case examples that show potential effects on diverse patient populations.

Psychiatric Times, June 2
Dr Geppert is chief of behavioral care consultation and ethics at the New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Albuquerque. She is also associate professor in the department of psychiatry and director of ethics education at the New Mexico School of Medicine and associate director of religious studies at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She recently edited with L. Roberts The Book of Ethics: Expert Guidance for Addiction Professionals (Hazelden Publishing). She would like to thank Ronald Pies for his keen editing of this piece.

Read chapter 1 of: The Book of Ethics. This file is in PDF format.