Therapeutic privilege involves the deception of patients by their doctors. If a doctor believes that relevant information has the potential to do more harm than good to the patient, he or she may withhold that information. It was once widely believed that if a terminally ill patient learned that they were going to die, this information would ultimately cause them even more pain and distress. To “protect” their patients, doctors often withheld this information. This justification is based on the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. Therapeutic privilege is no longer considered ethical because it ignores the moral principle of respect for autonomy. For a patient to act independently, they must have a certain amount of knowledge regarding their health care. Physicians who engage in therapeutic privilege and withhold relevant information do not grant their patient the right to make autonomous choices regarding their prognosis or treatment options. This violates informed consent, in which the patient is properly informed and authorized to be disclosed. Case No. 17-1 Therapeutic Privilege: Scaring the Patient to Death with Risk Information provides a good example of why some physicians choose to omit obtaining patient consent for certain reasons. procedures. Dr. Therapides suspects that her patient has a block in the abdominal aorta and knows that to locate it, she must inject him with urokon sodium. She is also aware that these procedures carry risks and in some cases lead to paralysis or even death. Yet Dr. Therapides believes that the patient, already scared and worried, may become even more worried if they are aware of the risks associated with the procedure. Dr. Therapides believes she should receive therapeutic therapy...... middle of paper ...... decision. Although Dr. Therapides may feel that his patient will be even more frightened after hearing about the risks associated with the procedure, I still feel it is his duty to inform her. The patient may never be "fully informed", but relevant information in this case must be disclosed if Dr. Therapides plans to follow the protocol. By following the elements of consent, she must ensure that her patient has the capacity to make a decision regarding their health care and that they voluntarily agree to perform the surgical procedure. Dr. Therapides must also disclose the possible risks and benefits of treatment options and give his professional recommendation. Finally, Dr. Therapides must ensure that his patient understands what the options are regarding his treatment, diagnosis and prognosis, and that he is able to make a decision and authorize or deny the recommendation..