Which ethical principle allows patients to accept or decline treatment?

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

Answer: (B)

Autonomy is the principle that grants patients the right to accept or decline treatment. It rests on respecting each person’s self-determination and values, so clinicians should provide clear information about options, risks, benefits, and alternatives, assess decision-making capacity, and obtain voluntary informed consent. When a patient decides to accept treatment, that choice should be honored; when they choose to decline, it should also be respected—even if a clinician believes a different course would be better for the patient. Beneficence guides acting in the patient’s best interests, nonmaleficence is about avoiding harm, and justice concerns fair access to care; autonomy specifically empowers the patient to make their own medical decisions. For example, a patient may choose to refuse a procedure or medication after understanding what it entails, and that decision is respected as long as the patient has capacity and consent is informed.