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Patient Informed Choice for Altruism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 July 2014

DAVID J. DOUKAS  and
JOHN HARDWIG
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Abstract:

Respect for persons protects patients regarding their own healthcare decisions. Patient informed choice for altruism (PICA) is a proposed means for a fully autonomous patient with decisionmaking capacity to limit his or her own treatment for altruistic reasons. An altruistic decision could bond the patient with others at the end of life. We contend that PICA can also be an advance directive option. The proxy, family, and physicians must be reminded that a patient’s altruistic treatment refusal should be respected.

Keywords

informed consentaltruismadvance directiveautonomymedical ethics
Type
Special Section: Open Forum
Information
Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics , Volume 23 , Issue 4 , October 2014 , pp. 397 - 402
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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References

Notes

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