Question

""double effect" refers to a situation in which a beneficial action may have potentially harmful side effects"

Answer 1

If this is a true or false question, the answer would be true. The double effect would refer to a situation where a beneficial action can have harmful side effects. It would mean that it would be fine to do an act if there are 2 effects, one bad and one good.

Answer 2

The answer is True. Doing something morally good has a morally bad side-effect is known as double effect, it is ethical to do it provided that the bad side-effect is not your intention. This is common in the case where a doctor gives drugs to a patient to relieve painful symptoms even though he knows doing this may shorten the patient's life.