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A defence of medical paternalism: maximising patients' autonomy.

Journal of Medical Ethics, 01 Mar 1983, 9(1):38-44
https://doi.org/10.1136/jme.9.1.38 PMID: 6834402 PMCID: PMC1060849

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Abstract 

All illness represents a state of diminished autonomy and therefore the doctor-patient relationship necessarily and justifiably involves a degree of medical paternalism argues the author, an American medical student. In a broad-ranging paper he discusses the concepts of autonomy and paternalism in the context of the doctor-patient relationship. Given the necessary diminution of autonomy which illness inflicts, a limited form of medical paternalism, aimed at restoring or maximising the patient's autonomy is entirely acceptable, and indeed fundamental to the relationship he argues. However, the exercise of this paternalism should be flexible and related to the current 'level of autonomy' of the patient himself. An editorial in this issue comments briefly on this paper.

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J Med Ethics. 1983 Mar; 9(1): 38–44.
PMCID: PMC1060849
PMID: 6834402

A defence of medical paternalism: maximising patients' autonomy.

M S Komrad
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Abstract

All illness represents a state of diminished autonomy and therefore the doctor-patient relationship necessarily and justifiably involves a degree of medical paternalism argues the author, an American medical student. In a broad-ranging paper he discusses the concepts of autonomy and paternalism in the context of the doctor-patient relationship. Given the necessary diminution of autonomy which illness inflicts, a limited form of medical paternalism, aimed at restoring or maximising the patient's autonomy is entirely acceptable, and indeed fundamental to the relationship he argues. However, the exercise of this paternalism should be flexible and related to the current 'level of autonomy' of the patient himself. An editorial in this issue comments briefly on this paper.

Full text

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
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