The emergence of autonomy as a socio-political, legal and moral concept has had a profound impact on medical ethics. It has shifted the centre of decision-making from the doctor to the patient and reoriented the entire doctor-patient relationship towards one that is more open, more honest and more respectful of the dignity of the patient's person. However, autonomy is insufficient to guarantee a respectful approach for persons in medical transactions. As the basis of the medical relationship, the concept of integrity is richer, more fundamental and more closely related to what it is to be a whole human person.
The Relationship of Autonomy and Integrity in Medical Ethics1 (1990)
19 December 2022