A number of researchers have pointed out that the harm caused by communicating with patients about potential treatment adverse events raises an ethical issue. In order to respect autonomy, one is required to inform a patient about what harms a treatment is likely to cause. Yet the way in which potential harms are communicated could cause additional harm, which may violate the ethical principle of non-maleficence. It may be possible that nocebo effects can be reduced while respecting autonomy using different models of informed consent, including the use of a framing effect and the authorized concealment.