Which ethical principle is primarily about honoring a patient's treatment choices, including refusals?

• A. Autonomy
• B. Beneficence
• C. Justice
• D. Nonmaleficence

Answer: (A)

Autonomy is the principle that centers on respecting a patient’s right to make their own decisions about their care, including the choice to accept or refuse treatment. It’s about ensuring the patient has capacity, receives clear information, and can make a voluntary decision. When a patient understands the options and still chooses to refuse a proposed treatment, autonomy requires that clinicians honor that decision, even if they believe the treatment would be beneficial.

Beneficence focuses on acting in the patient’s best interest and promoting good, which is related but not the direct mechanism for honoring refusals. Nonmaleficence is about avoiding harm, which can be involved in the decision but doesn’t by itself guarantee respect for the patient’s choices. Justice deals with fairness in the distribution of care and resources, not individual treatment decisions.