The principle that ensures patients can make their own decisions based on their values is known as?

• A. Autonomy
• B. Veracity
• C. Fidelity
• D. Beneficence

Answer: (A)

Autonomy is the principle that protects a patient’s right to make decisions about their own care based on their own values, preferences, and beliefs. It emphasizes that individuals should have the capacity to understand information about their options, weigh benefits and risks, and consent to or refuse treatment without coercion. In clinical practice, safeguarding autonomy means providing clear, relevant information, respecting the patient’s choices even when they differ from the clinician’s own views, and obtaining informed consent.

Veracity is about truth-telling and honesty in the doctor–patient relationship. Fidelity concerns staying true to promises and maintaining trust. Beneficence focuses on acting in the patient’s best interests to promote good. While these principles guide care, they do not by themselves ensure that patients make decisions based on their own values in the way autonomy does.