What is nonmaleficence?

What is nonmaleficence?

• A. To do no harm, to impose no unnecessary or unacceptable burden upon the patient
• B. Beneficence
• C. Autonomy
• D. Justice

Answer: (A)

Nonmaleficence is the obligation to not harm the patient and to avoid imposing burdens that are unnecessary or unacceptable given the expected benefit. It guides clinicians to minimize risks, prevent avoidable injury, and carefully weigh potential harms against benefits before acting. This is exactly captured by the idea of “to do no harm, to impose no unnecessary or unacceptable burden upon the patient.” Other ethical principles include beneficence, which is about actively doing good and promoting the patient’s welfare; autonomy, which respects the patient’s right to make their own informed decisions; and justice, which focuses on fair and equitable distribution of care and resources.

Nonmaleficence is the obligation to not harm the patient and to avoid imposing burdens that are unnecessary or unacceptable given the expected benefit. It guides clinicians to minimize risks, prevent avoidable injury, and carefully weigh potential harms against benefits before acting. This is exactly captured by the idea of “to do no harm, to impose no unnecessary or unacceptable burden upon the patient.”

Other ethical principles include beneficence, which is about actively doing good and promoting the patient’s welfare; autonomy, which respects the patient’s right to make their own informed decisions; and justice, which focuses on fair and equitable distribution of care and resources.