Fan And Li's Analysis

Reconstruction There are vast dissimilarities between Western medical practices and Confucians Chinese traditions in regards to the concept of truth-telling. Fan’s and Li’s article, which focuses on the Chinese perspective, asserts that under certain conditions, it is morally acceptable to withhold information to the patient about their illness. This is only allowable if both the family and the physician concur with the decisions. Ultimately, they believe that non-disclosure will benefit the patient. Often times, patients have had destructive reactions upon a diagnosis of a fatal illness. Therefore, physicians have favored non-disclosure for the welfare of the patient. Consequently, this tends to lead to amicable collaboration between the physician and family which corresponds to efficient treatment plans.

Analysis Despite the fact that Fan’s and Li’s viewpoint might be perceived as problematic by Western standards, they do provide compelling points. They employ consequences of disclosing all facts to the patient despite the family’s wishes as tactic as a justification for their argument. For instances, Fan and Li indicate that some families have sued against physicians for revealing details to the patient. Other occurrences

However, there is no law stating that the physician has to reveal this to the patient. The justification on this point is that it is not like no one knows the severity of the patient’s situation. Since the family is cognizant of the condition, it allows them to make important decisions that will most benefit the patient. Noticeably, another reason that Fan and Lin points out is that, “an overwhelming majority of patients understand and accept the physician’s keeping information from the patient (p. 70).” Conclusively, there appears to be a mutual understanding from the physician’s side and the patient’s position concerning