Which ethical principle is most closely linked to ensuring patients can make informed decisions about their care?

Which ethical principle is most closely linked to ensuring patients can make informed decisions about their care?

• A. Justice
• B. Autonomy
• C. Beneficence
• D. Non-malfeasance

Answer: (B)

Autonomy means recognizing a patient’s right to decide what happens to their own body. Ensuring informed decisions hinges on autonomy because respecting this right requires giving complete information about options, risks, benefits, and alternatives, confirming the patient understands, and ensuring their choice is voluntary and based on their own values and preferences. When these conditions are met, the patient can actively weigh what fits best for them, which is the essence of informed decision-making. Justice is about fairness in access and distribution of resources, beneficence about acting in the patient’s best interest, and non-maleficence about avoiding harm; none of these centers the patient’s right to self-determination in the decision-making process as directly as autonomy does.

Autonomy means recognizing a patient’s right to decide what happens to their own body. Ensuring informed decisions hinges on autonomy because respecting this right requires giving complete information about options, risks, benefits, and alternatives, confirming the patient understands, and ensuring their choice is voluntary and based on their own values and preferences. When these conditions are met, the patient can actively weigh what fits best for them, which is the essence of informed decision-making. Justice is about fairness in access and distribution of resources, beneficence about acting in the patient’s best interest, and non-maleficence about avoiding harm; none of these centers the patient’s right to self-determination in the decision-making process as directly as autonomy does.