Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis Disclosure
Ethical discourse on prognosis disclosure is not yet well established. The core of the problem continues to be the dilemma between the right of self-determination and non-maleficence of patients. The prognosis disclosure policy based on Kantian autonomy provides a good solution for the problem. The...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Clinics and Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-7283/12/5/84 |
| _version_ | 1797474100294189056 |
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| author | Eisuke Nakazawa Keiichiro Yamamoto Reina Ozeki-Hayashi Margie Hodges Shaw Akira Akabayashi |
| author_facet | Eisuke Nakazawa Keiichiro Yamamoto Reina Ozeki-Hayashi Margie Hodges Shaw Akira Akabayashi |
| author_sort | Eisuke Nakazawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ethical discourse on prognosis disclosure is not yet well established. The core of the problem continues to be the dilemma between the right of self-determination and non-maleficence of patients. The prognosis disclosure policy based on Kantian autonomy provides a good solution for the problem. The policy includes demand for strict truth telling and its compatibility with patients’ best interest. However, there remains a discrepancy between theory and practice, especially when prognosis is disclosed just prior to their death. Kantian theory of prognosis is supplemented by a moralistic perspective. The moralistic perspective places high importance on temporality and relationships with others, which all human beings inherently possess. From the moralistic viewpoint, decisions about prognosis disclosure at the final stages of life must be individualized in order to be authentically autonomous. The decision to disclose a prognosis or not can only be determined by the relationships fostered over time with patients. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:26:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-84deabcb9dd046ba982dc446a7314346 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2039-7283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:26:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinics and Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-84deabcb9dd046ba982dc446a73143462023-11-23T23:35:05ZengMDPI AGClinics and Practice2039-72832022-10-0112580380810.3390/clinpract12050084Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis DisclosureEisuke Nakazawa0Keiichiro Yamamoto1Reina Ozeki-Hayashi2Margie Hodges Shaw3Akira Akabayashi4Department of Biomedical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, JapanNational Center for Global Health and Medicine, Center for Clinical Sciences, Tokyo 162-8655, JapanDepartment of Biomedical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, JapanDepartment of Health Humanities and Bioethics, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, NY 14642, USADepartment of Biomedical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, JapanEthical discourse on prognosis disclosure is not yet well established. The core of the problem continues to be the dilemma between the right of self-determination and non-maleficence of patients. The prognosis disclosure policy based on Kantian autonomy provides a good solution for the problem. The policy includes demand for strict truth telling and its compatibility with patients’ best interest. However, there remains a discrepancy between theory and practice, especially when prognosis is disclosed just prior to their death. Kantian theory of prognosis is supplemented by a moralistic perspective. The moralistic perspective places high importance on temporality and relationships with others, which all human beings inherently possess. From the moralistic viewpoint, decisions about prognosis disclosure at the final stages of life must be individualized in order to be authentically autonomous. The decision to disclose a prognosis or not can only be determined by the relationships fostered over time with patients.https://www.mdpi.com/2039-7283/12/5/84prognosis disclosureclinical ethicstruth disclosuremoralistic viewpointhuman dignity |
| spellingShingle | Eisuke Nakazawa Keiichiro Yamamoto Reina Ozeki-Hayashi Margie Hodges Shaw Akira Akabayashi Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis Disclosure Clinics and Practice prognosis disclosure clinical ethics truth disclosure moralistic viewpoint human dignity |
| title | Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis Disclosure |
| title_full | Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis Disclosure |
| title_fullStr | Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis Disclosure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis Disclosure |
| title_short | Is It Worth Knowing That You Might Die Tomorrow? Revisiting the Ethics of Prognosis Disclosure |
| title_sort | is it worth knowing that you might die tomorrow revisiting the ethics of prognosis disclosure |
| topic | prognosis disclosure clinical ethics truth disclosure moralistic viewpoint human dignity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-7283/12/5/84 |
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