Openness with patients: a categorical imperative to correct an imbalance |
| |
Authors: | Dr A Kessel Dr Michael J Crawford MBBS MRCPsych |
| |
Institution: | (1) Epidemiology Unit, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT London, UK;(2) Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK |
| |
Abstract: | This paper examines the concept of ‘openness with patients’ from the stand-point of the limitations of biomedical ethics.
Initially we review contemporary critiques of bioethics and, in particular, of principlism; we relate how other; somewhat
neglected, forms of medical ethics can yield useful information and provide moral guidance.
The main section of the paper then shows how a bioethical approach to openness misses the social context in our example, the
viewpoints of patients; we present some of the increasing wealth of research evidence which points towards patients wanting
more information and a greater degree of openness.
Finally we put forward that a principlist’s objection to active encouragement of openness might be based on the risk of infringing
upon the ‘right not to know’. We reject this by arguing how rights can be trumped.
Dr. Anthony S. Kessel, BSc, MBBS, Mphil, MSc, is a general practitioner, medical ethicist and currently specialist registrar
(Barking & Havering Health Authority)/Honorary lecturer in public health medicine in the Epidemiology Unit, London School
of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK. |
| |
Keywords: | autonomy bioethics openness positive discrimination principlism right not to know |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|