Jewish medical ethics is a modern field that applies Jewish thought and traditional rabbinic law (halakhah) to address complex medical and bioethical dilemmas. Pioneered by Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits in the 1950s, it notably emphasizes the nearly absolute sanctity of life, a principle that underpins its approach to a wide range of issues. The field examines critical topics such as abortion, brain death, organ donation, genetic screening, and the allocation of medical resources, extending beyond professional ethics for doctors.

While its intellectual roots can be traced to figures like the 10th-century physician Isaac Israeli, Jakobovits's comprehensive work, "Jewish Medical Ethics," became a foundational text, influencing subsequent scholars across all Jewish denominations. Today, Jewish medical ethics is a thriving discipline, supported by dedicated journals, multi-volume encyclopedias, educational institutes, and international conferences, particularly in the United States and Israel.