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

include patients committing suicide after discovering the harshness of their condition. By using this tactic, it urges people to see the ethical aspects of non-disclosure. People will want what is best for their family even if it entails omitting facts to the patient.
Furthermore, it is actually a requirement of Chinese law to unveil all information to the family.

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

non-disclosure.

Comment
I do not completely agree with Fan and Lin. However, I cannot disregard their points either, especially in reference to the importance of family. Family is a vital part of most people’s lives, so they should be informed about their loved ones state of health. The family can provide the support and love that will be valuable to the patient. Essentially, it complies with Chinese laws and Confucian Moral Vision. I think the imperative part of this perspective is that the physician and the family have input to make sure the decisions they are making are in the best interests for the patient. Moreover, non-disclosure is a helpful idea because it can prevent detrimental events from occurring. After the patients discover the seriousness of their condition, they can be rash in their choices and opt for a pessimistic outlook in life. That impulsiveness can lead to the patients refusing treatments and discounting the physician’s recommendations.
As far as the Western approach concerns, confidentiality is regarded as a fundamental basis of the relationship between a physician and a patient. I think the patient has the right to know all the details of the illness regardless of the enormity of it. Patients should be the first to know about the situation, and they should be the one to decide whether or not to tell their family. One could view this as an invasion of privacy of the patient. In accordance to that notion, patients should have the right to do what they wish to without worrying about the physician compromising their wishes. Likewise, people might not be comfortable with the amount of influence that their family has on their body. There are many significant decisions to be made throughout the course of the treatments. Subsequently the family could make a decision that opposes the patient’s desires. Moreover, as the disease progresses, the patient will eventually have somewhat of an inclination of what is going on in the body regardless of the non-disclosures. Conclusively, there are both beneficial and negative features of Fan’s and Lin’s argument. Concocting an intermediate between Western medical practices and traditional Chinese practices can prove to be challenging due to the blatant differences.