ISSN: 2041-6792

Clinical Investigation

Non-maleficence Research Articles

In Western medicine, the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence derive historically from the doctor-patient relationship, which for several years was supported paternalism. In the previous couple of decades, there has been a change within the doctor-patient relationship involving a move towards greater respect for patients’ autonomy; therein patients play a more active role in making decisions about their own treatment (Mallia, 2003). According to Kao (2002), this is often not an equivalent in non-Western medicine. She explains that in Islamic medical ethics, a greater emphasis is placed on beneficence than on autonomy especially at the time of death. Aksoy and Tenik (2002), who investigated the existence of the four principles within the Islamic tradition by examining the works of Mawlana, a prominent Sufi theologian and philosopher, support this claim. They found evidence of all four principles in one form or another, with a transparent emphasis on the principle of beneficence. In China where medical ethics were greatly influenced by Confucianism, there's also an outstanding emphasis on beneficence therein Chinese medicine is taken into account “a humane art, and a physician must be loving so as to treat the sick and heal the injured”. Beneficence involves balancing the advantages of treatment against the risks and costs involved, whereas non-maleficence means avoiding the causation of harm.    

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