Is It Ethical To Lie To Patients

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There is only one circumstance in which it is okay for doctors to lie to their patients. The main thing that doctors must abide by is to do no harm. It is acceptable to withhold information when a patient is in a critical condition and hearing bad news could possibly make their situation worse. At that point, I believe it is okay for the doctor to lie to the patient and tell them that they will be okay in order to give them hope. This could lead them to feel better for a few days and after that it is necessary for the doctor to tell them the truth. However, this is circumstantial. If the patient does not even have the chance to survive a couple more days, then the doctor must tell them the truth up front. But if it increases the likelihood

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