Research hotspots and development trends of medical ethics and bioethics

Introduction: The objective is to examine the conceptual structure of research related to medical ethics and bioethics in the Web of Science database and to identify the sub-domains and important dimensions of these concepts. Material and Methods: This research is conducted using bibliometric techniques and co-occurrence analysis of keywords. To identify trends in medical ethics and bioethics research (1974–2024), 10,761 documents were examined. Cluster analysis and a strategic diagram were used to depict the conceptual structure of the research. Conclusion: Nine clusters in medical ethics and bioethics were identified: 1) Moral values, 2) Philosophy of bioethics, 3) Ethics and human dignity, 4) Medical ethics and education, 5) Bioethics and human rights, 6) Clinical ethics, 7) Ethics and bioethics committee research, 8) Research ethics, 9) Principles of bioethics in Islam. Additionally, by analyzing the content of the articles, emerging topics, subject areas, and prominent publications in medical ethics and bioethics were identified. The results will help researchers gain a comprehensive understanding of the concepts of medical ethics and bioethics and identify potential areas for future research.