Paternalism—choosing a course of action in the patient’s best interest but without the patient’s consent—serves as an
integral value in ethical decision making
, both as a balance to other values and as an ethical obligation to neither withhold guidance nor abdicate professional responsibility to patients [12, 16, 17].
What is paternalism in medical ethics?
In a healthcare context “paternalism” occurs
when a physician or other healthcare professional makes decisions for a patient without the explicit consent of the patient
. The physician believes the decisions are in the patient’s best interests.
What two ethical principles come into conflict in cases of paternalism?
According to Beuchamp and Childress [2], there is a disparity between the principle of
paternalism and autonomy
. Paternalism is the intrusion of a person with another individual, counter to their wish, and justified by a claim that the individual will be protected from harm [3].
Is paternalism a form of beneficence?
An act of paternalism, then,
overrides moral obligations to respect autonomous choice on grounds
of beneficence. … The paternalistic action has a strong likelihood of preventing the harm or obtaining the benefit. The projected benefits of the paternalistic action outweigh its risks.
Is paternalism a principle?
In all cases of attempting to justify paternalism there are two principles; …
Acting against a person’s wishes in order to prevent harm is paternalism
. Acting to promote the good, even against the person’s wishes, is paternalism.
Why paternalism is bad?
According to the dominant view,
paternalism is wrong when it interferes with a person’s autonomy
. For example, suppose that I throw away your cream cakes because I believe that eating them is bad for your health. This paternalistic action is wrong when it interferes with your autonomous decision to eat cream cakes.
How do you justify paternalism?
Most people would agree that paternalism is justified when dealing with
a person whose freedom of choice is seriously impaired or limited
, be it due to coercion, a person’s limited cognitive capacities, ignorance of the facts, the effects of a disease such as Alzheimer’s, or the influence of drugs.
What is the purpose of paternalism?
Broadly defined, paternalism is an
action performed with the intent of promoting another’s good but occurring against the other’s will or without the other’s consent
[13]. In medicine, it refers to acts of authority by the physician in directing care and distribution of resources to patients.
What is an example of weak paternalism?
“Weak paternalism” (overriding the autonomy of someone who is NOT really autonomous) is much less controversial; for instance,
detaining or treating severely psychotic, mentally retarded, or extremely addicted individuals
.
Is medical paternalism good?
In the past,
paternalism was considered an absolute medical necessity
, as there was little to no public understanding of medical procedures and practices. However, in recent years, paternalism has become limited and blind faith in doctors’ decisions has come to be frowned upon.
What are the 7 ethical principles?
This approach – focusing on the application of seven mid-level principles to cases (
non-maleficence, beneficence, health maximisation, efficiency, respect for autonomy, justice, proportionality
) – is presented in this paper.
What are the 8 ethical principles?
This analysis focuses on whether and how the statements in these eight codes specify core moral norms
(Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-Maleficence, and Justice)
, core behavioral norms (Veracity, Privacy, Confidentiality, and Fidelity), and other norms that are empirically derived from the code statements.
What are the 5 principles of bioethics?
- I. NON MALFEASANCE.
- II. BENEFICENCE.
- III. UTILITY.
- IV. DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE.
- V. AUTONOMY.
What does Maleficence mean?
1a :
the act of committing harm or evil
. b : a harmful or evil act. 2 : the quality or state of being maleficent.
Is paternalism justified by consent or by benefit?
Paternalism means, roughly, benevolent interference – benevolent because it aims at promoting or protecting a person’s good, and interference because it restricts a person’s liberty without his
consent
.
What are the 4 principles of bioethics?
The 4 main ethical principles, that is
beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice
, are defined and explained.
