Which of the following is an ethical principle focusing on individual rights?

Rights-Based Ethics is the ethical principle that centers on the concept of individual rights. This principle holds that individuals have fundamental rights that must be respected and protected, regardless of the consequences. It emphasizes the inherent dignity of every person and the importance of autonomy, allowing individuals to make choices about their lives and well-being.

In the context of healthcare and medical law, rights-based ethics could involve issues such as patient consent, confidentiality, and the right to receive or refuse treatment. This framework prioritizes the protection of these rights, ensuring that individuals are treated as ends in themselves rather than merely as means to an end.

In contrast, duty-based ethics focuses on the obligations or duties one has towards others. Utilitarianism is about maximizing overall happiness or utility, often at the expense of individual rights if it leads to a greater good. Virtue-based ethics emphasizes the character and virtues of the moral agent rather than individual rights. Each of these alternatives presents a different approach to ethics but does not specifically address the rights of individuals as thoroughly as rights-based ethics does.