Arguments Against Patient Autonomy

Patient autonomy is one of the rising problem in medical industry as it is creating boundaries between doctors and their patients, harming the relationships between those two. The movements of the 1960s and 1970s such as Civil right, women suffrage sets up the foundation and led to patient autonomy rights as they follow same goals and mindset. Movements like Civil rights and women's suffrage were arose for equality issues whereas patient rights were side effects of these movements. Patient autonomy is also a human right as it allows an individual to have their own views and decisions, but these decisions have created issues in medical industry. Therefore, throughout this essay, I will argue against the patient autonomy as it is one of the major and underlying cause of
They went to medical schools for years to get their degree and earn the prefix of Dr. but all these experiences is overridden by patient’s individual wishes. For example, a patient might want to get a new eyes as he or she do not want their old pair of eyes anymore. Now should doctor fulfill this patient’s wish? According to individual choices and autonomy, doctor should be participating in this futile and unnecessary procedure. But we all know this is not a right decision as this exploits medical resources as well as money which comes from tax paying families. Individual choices also creates boundaries and trust issues between doctors and patients as primary focus of doctors are to provide care to their patients. One individual may go against a doctor’s will, and this will raise questions against doctor’s experience and knowledge as patient thinks he or she is making a correct, and a wiser choice than doctor itself. A more recurring and concerning situation is of a dying patient’s who is requesting for a treatment in will to live, which physician might judge to be futile. And the treatment is considered futile as it offers no hope of benefiting the patient. Performing