follow-up on #4923 – Medical research Vs. practice

follow-up on #4923 – Medical research Vs. practice

Thanks so much for your response. I read through part of the book you recommended, it was a real help!

Something I have been thinking about regarding clinical medicine vs. medical research: Halacha, with regards to Shabbat, differentiates between someone critically ill and slightly ill, making a doctor obligated to desecrate Shabbat to save someone critically ill, but obviously not allow a researcher to do "critical" medical research.

This made me think about the mitzvah of pikuach nefesh: is one doing the mitzvah more as a doctor definitely saving someone's life than as a researcher working with a team on a study that may or may impact a lot of people?

On the one hand the doctor's results are immediate and apparent, on the other hand research has potential to reach many more people.

Please let me know your thoughts or any other good references (English) to consult.

Thanks so much!!

Be well

M