AUTONOMY

Medical, Law and Ethics

Abstract

The paper discusses the principle of autonomy and bioethical role of health care professionals. It explains all the issues related to autonomy and other principles related to it in bioethics. It also sheds light on the conditions for violation of patient's autonomy. An example case is also included.

Medical, Law and Ethics

Introduction

The law and ethics of medicines are dominated today by one paradigm, the autonomy of the patient. Bioethics has given paramount status to the value of individualism, the individual rights, self-determination and autonomy. The concept of autonomy and its role in bioethics is described below. This paper explains when health care providers should restrict the patient's autonomy and when to promote it.

Theses Statement

It is essential to restrict the patient's autonomous action if it threatens the moral and social aspects of his own or other's life.

Discussion

Autonomy is generally understood as the patient's right to self-determination within the context of medical and research practices. The right to make decisions concerning one's own life or oneself with being controlled by own self (Tapper, 2009). The principle of autonomy functions as moral rule that protects the patients from unwelcome interference by physicians and other health care professionals and has become a principle that guides interactions between patients and care givers (Schermer, 2002).

Definition

Autonomy has a major value in medicine and medical ethics. The term autonomy is used in different senses; in medical ethics, the term “ autonomy” means self-government (Schermer, 2002).

Theoretical Framework

The autonomous person is the one who can determine what is good and bad for him or herself and therefore, it can be considered that the patients' autonomy in health care have instrumental value. Some people believe that autonomy is very important and patients must be allowed to make decisions about their treatment and health care , in cases when there is threat of harm, their autonomy can be restricted (Glover, 1977).

Some people believe that autonomy is a self-rule, that should not influenced by others' interference or limitations (Harris, 2003). The autonomous person freely chooses his own plan. A person without autonomy is controlled by others and is incapable of planning according to his or her own desires (Harris, 2003).

Making person's own decisions about his life is so valuable that he does not want other people to decide, even if he knows that they could make better decisions than he could. Some bioethicists believe ( Brock &Buchanan, 1990), that in making person's own decisions about his life, he uses his rational capacities that he is controlling his own life, giving it meaning and purpose.The autonomus person believes, that he is creating and forming himself through his own decisions ( Brock &Buchanan, 1990).

The Principle of Autonomy as Applied to Health Care.

Informed consent

In medical ethics, the issue of patient autonomy is most frequently discussed in terms of informed consent. It is a concept that refers both to a patient's willingness to accept treatment or the procedures to be followed and the criteria to be satisfied to educate him about ...