Choosing to do nothing is still an a pathway which always yields some consequences, many of which are undesirable and/or bad outcomes. Patients need to understand that inaction or the avoidance of intervention can (& often does) lead to irreversible harm. Purposely delivering in a setting that precludes or delays options for intervention is the antithesis of care.
You are making an important and often misunderstood point. In medicine, inaction is not neutral. It is a clinical pathway with predictable risks and consequences, just like any intervention. Ethical care requires that patients understand not only the potential downsides of interventions, but also the very real risks of avoiding them. Choosing a setting that limits timely access to intervention is therefore not simply a personal preference. It materially alters the risk landscape. Respecting autonomy does not mean pretending those tradeoffs do not exist. It means being honest about them, even when that honesty is uncomfortable.
Regarding the topic of the article, wow, this is brilliant. You just nail preventive ethics. Physiology isnt a safety plan, period. So clear.
Thank you
Choosing to do nothing is still an a pathway which always yields some consequences, many of which are undesirable and/or bad outcomes. Patients need to understand that inaction or the avoidance of intervention can (& often does) lead to irreversible harm. Purposely delivering in a setting that precludes or delays options for intervention is the antithesis of care.
You are making an important and often misunderstood point. In medicine, inaction is not neutral. It is a clinical pathway with predictable risks and consequences, just like any intervention. Ethical care requires that patients understand not only the potential downsides of interventions, but also the very real risks of avoiding them. Choosing a setting that limits timely access to intervention is therefore not simply a personal preference. It materially alters the risk landscape. Respecting autonomy does not mean pretending those tradeoffs do not exist. It means being honest about them, even when that honesty is uncomfortable.