Double effect in medical ethics is usually regarded as the combined effect of:

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Double effect in medical ethics refers to the simultaneous occurrence of two outcomes when administering a medical intervention. Beneficence is the principle that requires healthcare professionals to act in the best interest of the patient, seeking to maximize benefits and minimize harm. Non-maleficence refers to the ethical duty of healthcare providers to avoid causing harm to the patient. Therefore, the combined effect of beneficence and non-maleficence encompasses the ethical consideration of maximizing benefits while minimizing harm in medical decision-making.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Duty, breach of duty, and causation are legal elements of malpractice; assessment errors may contribute to malpractice but are not a standalone element.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The central moral debate on abortion focuses on the moral status of the fetus, not peripheral issues like environment or past events.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) is not a recognized complication of untreated diabetes, unlike the others listed.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Laser surgery is a standard treatment for proliferative retinopathy to prevent vision loss; the others are diagnostic or unrelated.