A relação entre o princípio da autonomia e o princípio da beneficência (e não-maleficência) na bioética médica

Abstract

This article aims to make the relationship between the principles of autonomy and beneficience (and non-maleficence) within the ethics of health professionals (mos especially the medical profession), seeking to demonstrate that there is a proper and healthy relationship between doctor and patient (service user health) is essential to respect the principle of autonomy, behold, every human being must be recognized as an end in itself. Medical activities by understanding procedures involving life, health and physical integrity of individuals, must be guided by principles and values varied – and sometimes conflicting, such as autonomy and beneficence, why often health professionals face ethical dilemmas difficult to solve when the practice of their activies. Thus, the principles advocated by secular bioethics (autonomy, beneficence and justice) ares the basis for the reflection of the actions to be taken in the held of health – in particular medicine. The increasing valuation given to the principle of autonomy – as qell as, the principle of informed consent – changed the doctor-patient relationship (user of health services), removing the supremacy of the principle of beneficence (derived form Hippocratic ethics) and, via consequence, the coexistence of both principles in the relationship between health professionals and patients, results for both the responsibility for the decisions taken during clinical practice.