PRINCIPLES OF

MEDICINE
 PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL ETHICS
• Medical ethics describes the moral principles by which a doctor must conduct themselves.
• Each addresses a value that arises in interactions between providers and patients.
• There are four basic principles:

• 1. Beneficence (Doing good)

• 2. Non-maleficence (to do no harm)
• 3. Autonomy
• 4. Justice(ensuring fairness)
 AUTONOMY

• Autonomy means that a patient has the ultimate decision-making responsibility for their own
treatment.
• Autonomy also means that a medical practitioner cannot impose treatment on an individual
for whatever reason – except in cases where that individual is deemed to be unable to make
autonomous decisions
• Autonomy is important because we need to make sure that the patient is actively involved in
their diagnosis and treatment – and not just deferring to their Doctor.
 BENEFICENCE

• The principle of beneficence is the obligation of physician to act for the benefit of the patient
and supports a number of moral rules to protect and defend the right of others, prevent harm,
remove conditions that will cause harm, help persons with disabilities, and rescue persons in
danger.
• Beneficence is important because it ensures that healthcare professionals consider individual
circumstances and remember that what is good for one patient may not necessarily be great
for another.
 NON-MALEFICENCE
• Non-maleficence is the sister to beneficence and is often considered as an inseparable pillar of ethics.

• The principle of non-maleficence requires of us that we not intentionally create a harm or

injury to the patient, either through acts of commission or omission.
• Non-maleficence differs from beneficence in two major ways.
• First of all, it acts as a threshold for treatment. If a treatment causes more harm than good, then it
should not be considered. This is in contrast to beneficence, where we consider all valid treatment
options and then rank them in order of preference.
• Second, we tend to use beneficence in response to a specific situation – such as determining the best
treatment for a patient. In contrast, non-maleficence is a constant in clinical practice. For example, if
you see a patient collapse in a corridor you have a duty to provide (or seek) medical attention to
prevent injury.
 JUSTICE
• Justice – in the context of medical ethics – is the principle that when weighing up if something is
ethical or not, we have to think about whether it’s compatible with the law, the patient’s rights, and
if it’s fair and balanced.
• It also means that we must ensure no one is unfairly disadvantaged when it comes to access to
healthcare. Justice is one reason why the NHS has certain entitlements, such as free prescriptions for
lower-income individuals.
• The health care provider must consider four main areas when evaluating justice:
• fair distribution of scarce resources,
• competing needs
• rights and obligations,
• and potential conflicts with established legislation.