Is Autonomy a Universal Value of Human Existence? Scope of Autonomy in Medical Practice: A Comparative Study between Western Medical Ethics and Islamic Medical Ethics
- Author:
Rathor MY
;
Azarisman Shah MS
;
Hasmoni MH
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Informed consent;
autonomy;
biomedical ethics;
cultural conflict;
paternalism.
- From:
The International Medical Journal Malaysia
2016;15(1):81-88
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The practice of contemporary medicine has been tremendously influenced by western ideas and it is
assumed by many that autonomy is a universal value of human existence. In the World Health Report 2000,
the World Health Organization (WHO) considered autonomy a “universal” value of human life against which
every health system in the world should be judged. Further in Western bioethics, patient autonomy and self
-determination prevails in all sectors of social and personal life, a concept unacceptable to some cultures.
In principle, there are challenges to the universal validity of autonomy, individualism and secularism, as
most non-Western cultures are proud of their communal relations and spiritualistic ethos and, thereby
imposing Western beliefs and practices as aforementioned can have deleterious consequences. Religion lies
at the heart of most cultures which influences the practice patterns of medical professionals in both visible
and unconscious ways. However, religion is mostly viewed by scientists as mystical and without scientific
proof. Herein lies the dilemma, whether medical professionals should respect the cultural and religious
beliefs of their patients? In this paper we aim to discuss some of the limitations of patient's autonomy by
comparing the process of reasoning in western medical ethics and Islamic medical ethics, in order to
examine the possibility and desirability of arriving at a single, unitary and universally acceptable notion of
medical ethics. We propose a more flexible viewpoint that accommodates different cultural and religious
values in interpreting autonomy and applying it in an increasingly multilingual and multicultural,
contemporaneous society in order to provide the highest level of care possible.
