Beneficence: From 1 Different Sources
n. doing good: one of the *four principles of medical ethics. The obligation to act in patients’ *best interests at all times is recognized in ancient and modern codes of professional conduct, e.g. the *Hippocratic oath. Benefits in health care, and therefore beneficence, must commonly be balanced against risks or harms (i.e. *nonmaleficence). The courts have been clear that beneficence extends beyond medical interests. Respect for *autonomy requires that professionals determine what the patient considers to be doing good in any given situation.
n. a state of genuine and substantial uncertainty as to which of two or more courses of action will be best for a patient. Equipoise is an important ethical principle in research, specifically in the design of clinical trials. It is generally held that the random allocation of patients to one or other arm of a trial is ethically acceptable only where there is a genuine uncertainty (equipoise) as to which treatment will most benefit trial participants. Knowingly to assign an individual to inferior or ineffective treatment (such as a placebo) would offend against the principle that his or her *best interests are paramount. A distinction is sometimes made between clinical equipoise, which refers to uncertainty across the medical profession as a whole, and theoretical equipoise, which refers to the uncertainty of an individual doctor. In addition, patients may not share the state of equipoise; for example, if a patient has his or her own preferences and there are significant side-effects influencing the choice of treatment, it would be *paternalistic and counter to *beneficence not to respect that patient’s wishes.... equipoise
an approach to medical ethics, proposed by Tom Beauchamp and James F. Childress, that identifies four basic tenets of ethical practice, namely: respect for *autonomy, *beneficence, *nonmaleficence, and *justice. Although the four principles are often used as a framework for decision-making in Western medical ethics, there may be problems when principles conflict or their application is contested in practice.... four principles
adj. positive, desirable, or morally admirable. The question of what is to be judged good is at the heart of medical ethics and ethics in general. Some theorists believe that one’s intentions or will may or may not be good (see deontology), while others argue that only the consequences of actions may or may not be good (*consequentialism). Physicians have an explicit duty to do good for their patients (see beneficence). See also right.... good
an oath that is often assumed to be taken but is actually rarely sworn by doctors. It is a code of behaviour and practice commonly attributed to the Greek physician Hippocrates (460–370 bc), known as the ‘Father of Medicine’, and taken by the students of the medical school in Cos where he taught, but both the authorship and application of the oath to Hippocrates’ students has been disputed. The ideas promulgated by the original oath are now seriously out of date (for instance there is no discussion of *truth-telling), and some medical schools have created modern alternatives for their own use. See also beneficence; medical ethics.... hippocratic oath
n. one of the *four principles and common to many theories of medical ethics: doctors should avoid causing harm to patients (see primum non nocere). As almost all medical interventions carry some risk of harm, however small, in practice a doctor should avoid risking unnecessary harm or any harm that is disproportionate to the benefit intended. Consequently, risks should be minimized and considered along with the intended benefits when evaluating specific interventions. Harm can include psychological, emotional, or social harm as well as physical damage. Compare beneficence.... nonmaleficence
an analytical process used to weigh up the probability of foreseeable risks and benefits of an action or policy. In medical ethics, it provides a means of reconciling the principles of *beneficence and *nonmaleficence where a particular intervention has dangers as well as benefits. Compare cost–benefit analysis. See also consequentialism.... risk–benefit analysis
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