Treating people as autonomous and protecting those with diminished autonomy describes which concept?

Treating people as autonomous and protecting those with diminished autonomy describes which concept?

• A. Respect for persons (Belmont)
• B. Beneficence (Belmont)
• C. Justice (Belmont)
• D. Informed consent

Answer: (A)

Respect for persons means recognizing individuals as autonomous agents and providing extra protection for those with diminished autonomy. This principle, from the Belmont Report, focuses on honoring each person's capacity to make their own decisions and safeguarding those who may not be able to do so fully. The description in the question aligns with that idea because it emphasizes treating people as autonomous and offering protection to those whose autonomy is limited. Informed consent is a practical way to uphold this respect by ensuring participants understand what they’re agreeing to and do so voluntarily, but the broader concept being described is the principle of respecting persons. The other Belmont principles describe different obligations: beneficence is about maximizing benefits and minimizing harms, and justice concerns fair distribution of burdens and benefits.

Respect for persons means recognizing individuals as autonomous agents and providing extra protection for those with diminished autonomy. This principle, from the Belmont Report, focuses on honoring each person's capacity to make their own decisions and safeguarding those who may not be able to do so fully.

The description in the question aligns with that idea because it emphasizes treating people as autonomous and offering protection to those whose autonomy is limited. Informed consent is a practical way to uphold this respect by ensuring participants understand what they’re agreeing to and do so voluntarily, but the broader concept being described is the principle of respecting persons.

The other Belmont principles describe different obligations: beneficence is about maximizing benefits and minimizing harms, and justice concerns fair distribution of burdens and benefits.