Should doctors ever lie to benefit their patient---to speed recovery or to cover the coming of death?
Should
doctors
ever
lie
to
benefit
their
patient
--
-to
speed
recovery
or
to
cover
the
coming
of
death
?
In medicine as in law, government, and other lines of work, the requirements of honesty often seem dwarfed by greater needs: the need to protect from brutal news or to uphold a promise of secrecy; to advance the public interest.
In
medicine
as
in
law
,
government
,
and
other
lines
of
work
,
the
requirements
of
honesty
often
seem
dwarfed
by
greater
needs
:
the
need
to
protect
from
brutal
news
or
to
uphold
a
promise
of
secrecy
;
to
advance
the
public
interest
.
What should doctors say, for example, to a 46-year-old man coming in for a routine physical check up just before going on vacation with his family who, though he feels in perfect health, is found to have a form of cancer that will cause him to die within six months.
What
should
doctors
say
,
for
example
,
to
a
46-year-old
man
coming
in
for
a
routine
physical
check
up
just
before
going
on
vacation
with
his
family
who
,
though
he
feels
in
perfect
health
,
is
found
to
have
a
form
of
cancer
that
will
cause
him
to
die
within
six
months
.
Is it best to tell him the truth?
Is
it
best
to
tell
him
the
truth
?
If he asks, should the doctor reject that he is ill, or minimize the gravity of the illness?
If
he
asks
,
should
the
doctor
reject
that
he
is
ill
,
or
minimize
the
gravity
of
the
illness
?
Should they at least hide the truth until after the family vacation?
Should
they
at
least
hide
the
truth
until
after
the
family
vacation
?
Doctors face such choices often.
Doctors
face
such
choices
often
.
At times, they see important reasons to lie for the patient's own sake; in their eyes, such lies differ sharply from self-serving ones.
At
times
,
they
see
important
reasons
to
lie
for
the
patient
's
own
sake
;
in
their
eyes
,
such
lies
differ
sharply
from
self-serving
ones
.
Studies show that most doctors sincerely believe that the seriously ill patients do not want to know the truth about their condition, and that informing them risks destroying their hope, so that they may recover more slowly, or deteriorate faster, perhaps even commit suicide.
Studies
show
that
most
doctors
sincerely
believe
that
the
seriously
ill
patients
do
not
want
to
know
the
truth
about
their
condition
,
and
that
informing
them
risks
destroying
their
hope
,
so
that
they
may
recover
more
slowly
,
or
deteriorate
faster
,
perhaps
even
commit
suicide
.
But other studies show that, contrary to the belief of many physicians; a great majority of patients do want to be told the truth, even about serious illness, and feel cheated when they learn that they have been misled.
But
other
studies
show
that
,
contrary
to
the
belief
of
many
physicians
;
a
great
majority
of
patients
do
want
to
be
told
the
truth
,
even
about
serious
illness
,
and
feel
cheated
when
they
learn
that
they
have
been
misled
.
We are also learning that truthful information, humanly conveyed, helps patients cope this illness: help them tolerate pain better, need less medicine, and even recover faster after operation.
We
are
also
learning
that
truthful
information
,
humanly
conveyed
,
helps
patients
cope
this
illness
:
help
them
tolerate
pain
better
,
need
less
medicine
,
and
even
recover
faster
after
operation
.
There is urgent need to debate this issue openly.
There
is
urgent
need
to
debate
this
issue
openly
.
Not only in medicine, but in other professions as well, practitioners may find themselves repeatedly in difficulty where serious consequences seem avoidable only through deception.
Not
only
in
medicine
,
but
in
other
professions
as
well
,
practitioners
may
find
themselves
repeatedly
in
difficulty
where
serious
consequences
seem
avoidable
only
through
deception
.
Yet the public has every reason to know professional deception, for such practices are peculiarly likely to become deeply rooted, to spread, and to trust.
Yet
the
public
has
every
reason
to
know
professional
deception
,
for
such
practices
are
peculiarly
likely
to
become
deeply
rooted
,
to
spread
,
and
to
trust
.
Neither in medicine, nor in law, government, or the social sciences can there be comfort in the old saying, "What you don't know can't hurt you."
Neither
in
medicine
,
nor
in
law
,
government
,
or
the
social
sciences
can
there
be
comfort
in
the
old
saying
,
``
What
you
do
n't
know
ca
n't
hurt
you
.
''
Should doctors ever lie to benefit their patient---to speed recovery or to cover the coming of death? In medicine as in law, government, and other lines of work, the requirements of honesty often seem dwarfed by greater needs: the need to protect from brutal news or to uphold a promise of secrecy; to advance the public interest.  What should doctors say, for example, to a 46-year-old man coming in for a routine physical check up just before going on vacation with his family who, though he feels in perfect health, is found to have a form of cancer that will cause him to die within six months. Is it best to tell him the truth? If he asks, should the doctor reject that he is ill, or minimize the gravity of the illness? Should they at least hide the truth until after the family vacation?  Doctors face such choices often. At times, they see important reasons to lie for the patient's own sake; in their eyes, such lies differ sharply from self-serving ones.  Studies show that most doctors sincerely believe that the seriously ill patients do not want to know the truth about their condition, and that informing them risks destroying their hope, so that they may recover more slowly, or deteriorate faster, perhaps even commit suicide.  But other studies show that, contrary to the belief of many physicians; a great majority of patients do want to be told the truth, even about serious illness, and feel cheated when they learn that they have been misled. We are also learning that truthful information, humanly conveyed, helps patients cope this illness: help them tolerate pain better, need less medicine, and even recover faster after operation.  There is urgent need to debate this issue openly. Not only in medicine, but in other professions as well, practitioners may find themselves repeatedly in difficulty where serious consequences seem avoidable only through deception. Yet the public has every reason to know professional deception, for such practices are peculiarly likely to become deeply rooted, to spread, and to trust. Neither in medicine, nor in law, government, or the social sciences can there be comfort in the old saying, "What you don't know can't hurt you."