Includes bibliographical references and index.

Autonomy : challenging the consensus -- Other contenders for a voice -- Whose autonomy? -- Reproductive autonomy -- Abortion -- Questions raised by reproductive technology -- Confidentiality -- The law of consent -- Litigation, rights and duties -- Medical research on humans -- The end of life -- Transplantation -- The ownership of body parts -- Epilogue.

"Autonomy is a vital principle in medical law and ethics. It occupies a prominent place in all medico-legal and ethical debate. But there is a dangerous presumption that it should have the only vote, or at least the casting vote. This book is an assault on that presumption, and an audit of autonomy's extraordinary status." "This book surveys the main issues in medical law, noting in relation to each issue the power wielded by autonomy, asking whether that power can be justified, and suggesting how other principles can and should contribute to the law." "It concludes that autonomy's status cannot be intellectually or ethically justified, and that positive discrimination in favour of the other balancing principles is urgently needed in order to avoid some sinister results."--BOOK JACKET.