To download article. UDK 174:61
DOI: 10.15507/0236-2910.026.201602.203-210
THE RULE OF TRUTH AND “WHITE LIE” IN MODERN MEDICINE
Zhanna V. Chashina (associate professor, Chair of Philosophy, National Research Ogarev Mordovia State University (68, Bolshevistskaya St., Saransk, Russia), Ph.D. (Philosophy), ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7199-0959, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Introduction. The article focuses on a topical conflict in contemporary medical practice – truthful patient’s information. Analysis of the problem is considered in historical perspective, by bringing the views of both domestic and foreign authors. Various opinions and arguments for and against providing information to the patient about his health discussions to this day by physicians, despite the legalization provision of truthful information about the state of health.
Materials and Methods. Material for the article was the ethical and regulatory documents that include provisions on the right of the patient in receiving truthful information. On the basis of the dialectical approach in the article, the object of the research is a rule of truthfulness in medicine, the analysis which takes place in the framework of medical ethics and its modern model of bioethics. The application of integrated approach allowed us to consider the problem from a position of morality and law, society, medicine and the individual. Using the following methods: comparative-historical, axiological, document analysis, and synthesis of the functionality, efficiency and appropriateness of the rules of veracity at the present stage of development of medicine.
Results. In the course of the study it was revealed that the issue of the rule of truthfulness in modern medical practice, justifying from the perspective of modern model of medical ethics – bioethics and the law, is the inalienable right of the patient. In addition, you specify the inextricable link between the rule and the truthfulness rule of informed consent. These regulations removed the controversial question of the presence of the “holy lie” in medicine. But due to the absolutely inviolable rules of “no harm” in medicine it is necessary to consider the ethical and legal aspects of rules of veracity: the duty, the right, the opportunity and feasibility to speak the truth, allowing not only the law, but also from the point of view of morality to adequately implement the patient’s right to provide truthful information. The complexity of the issue of the right of providing information consists in the realization of the epistemological, communication aspects and feasibility. The epistemological aspect is the reliability of the information, understood through objective knowledge. The feasibility of rules of truthfulness implies the presence of goals that may be both psycho-social and physical (clinical and physiological). The communicative aspect is in the tactics of information transfer, including accessible and friendly techniques of speech perception for patients.
Discussion and Conclusions. In conclusion the article concludes that the right of patients to truthful information today is legalized. But the problem is implementation of this rule still remains. However the problem still exist today and lies in the ability of the physician to provide the information This in turn requires the assimilation of epistemological, moral and legal aspects of truthfulness, the psychological and emotional characteristics of a person and their relationship to the psychological and physiological state of the patient, as well as the mastery of the technique of subjective standard, the essence of which consists in applying analogies from the day-to-day life of the patient. This knowledge, ability and possession comply with the basic requirements of providing truthful information: reliability, availability, adequacy and delicacy. The solution to this problem rests with biomedical ethics and medical psychology.
Keywords: autonomy, bioethics, debt information, paternalism, right, truth, the “white lie”, the appropriateness, ethical dilemma
For citation: Chashina ZhV. The rule of truth and “white lie” in modern medicine. Vestnik Mordovskogo universiteta = Mordovia University Bulletin. 2016; 2(26):203-210. DOI: 10.15507/0236-2910.026.201602.203-210
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