Which ethical principle is most closely related to patient autonomy?

• A. Beneficence
• B. Respect for Autonomy
• C. Nonmaleficence
• D. Justice

Answer: (B)

The main idea tested is how ethical principles protect a patient’s right to make decisions about their own care. Patient autonomy means individuals have the right to decide what happens to their body and treatment, provided they have enough information and are free from coercion. The principle that most directly supports and enshrines that right is respect for autonomy. It requires clinicians to honor patients’ choices, obtain informed consent, and engage in shared decision-making, even when clinicians might personally disagree with the decision.

Beneficence is about acting in the patient’s best interest and promoting well-being; nonmaleficence is about not causing harm; justice concerns fair and equitable treatment. These principles guide care, but they don’t specifically codify the patient’s right to self-determination in the way that respect for autonomy does, which is why it’s the best fit for linking to patient autonomy.