Hiding the truth to alleviate suffering in end-of-life situations: an ethical reflection

• Autor(a) principal: Bairos Menezes, Maria
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Arruda, Mara, Cardoso, Joana, Meira, Natacha, Marques da Costa, Bernardo
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.34632/cadernosdesaude.2023.11780

Introduction: Communication is a fundamental competence in palliative medicine and allows a trust-based relationship. The suspension of a therapy that does not have benefit to the patient is an ethical challenge and must be based on the principles of bioethics. Aim: To develop a reflection based on the principles of bioethics about a clinical case with omission of the truth and therapeutic futility. Materials and methods: Case based ethical discussion with a literature review. Results: The case based ethical discussion was based on the use of placebo, communication of the truth, medical futility and management of family and healthcare team emotions. Conclusions: The practice of medical futility arises ethical problems. The therapeutic benefit must be individualized for each patient as a human being, and respect the ethical principles of non-maleficence, autonomy and justice. Conflicts are avoided by establishing a good patient-physician relationship, with honest and empathic communication.