Which ethical principle applies when a physician tells the patient she does not have the right to use CAM/IM medicine?

Which ethical principle applies when a physician tells the patient she does not have the right to use CAM/IM medicine?

• A. Autonomy
• B. Justice
• C. Nonmaleficence
• D. Beneficence

Answer: (B)

Autonomy is the principle that respects a patient’s right to make informed decisions about their own body and treatment, even if the physician disagrees. When a physician tells a patient she does not have the right to use complementary or alternative medicine, that decision undermines her ability to choose her own course of care. The physician’s role is to provide clear information about the potential benefits, risks, and alternatives of CAM, support the patient in weighing options, and then honor the patient’s informed decision, as long as she is competent. If CAM poses clear safety concerns or contraindications, the physician should discuss these and guide the patient, but not deny her the right to decide. Other principles—justice, nonmaleficence, and beneficence—address different ethical concerns (fair access, not causing harm, and acting in the patient’s best interest) and don’t directly resolve the patient’s right to self-determination in this context.

Autonomy is the principle that respects a patient’s right to make informed decisions about their own body and treatment, even if the physician disagrees. When a physician tells a patient she does not have the right to use complementary or alternative medicine, that decision undermines her ability to choose her own course of care. The physician’s role is to provide clear information about the potential benefits, risks, and alternatives of CAM, support the patient in weighing options, and then honor the patient’s informed decision, as long as she is competent. If CAM poses clear safety concerns or contraindications, the physician should discuss these and guide the patient, but not deny her the right to decide. Other principles—justice, nonmaleficence, and beneficence—address different ethical concerns (fair access, not causing harm, and acting in the patient’s best interest) and don’t directly resolve the patient’s right to self-determination in this context.