1. Beneficence Dato’ Ahmad Tajudin Jaafar Allianze College of Medical Sciences

3. Question: Are we trying to help or harm? Answer; i. Underlying motives ii. Actual effects or consequences of action

4. In Medicine: Uncertainty regarding outcome of actions - No advance guarantee - But motives can be examined by asking whether or not action is aimed to benefit the patient

5. Beneficence is central to most code of professional ethics e.g. GMC 2001; “Make The Care Of Your Patient Your First Concern”

6. Hippocratic Oath, “ I will prescribe regimen for the good of my patients according to my ability and judgment and never do no harm to anyone”

7. What does it mean in practice “to act for the good of patients”?

11. In secondary and tertiary care, health problems can be urgent and overwhelming that patient interests shrunk to coincide with his health interests

12. Doctors have to appreciate and negotiate these contending interests so that the patient sees the primary of the health interest vis a vis others

13. 2. Balance between beneficence and paternalism At times, beneficence means taking charge of patient leading to a morally justified beneficence to a morally questionable paternalism