Doctor’s have a huge amount of power over the degree of information they choose to give parents. Some may argue that they can only give what is appropriate and to overload a parent with information causes more harm than good.
Unfortunately what the doctors don’t see it the effect this censorship has on families, especially in this day and age where information is more freely available than ever before. They don’t seem to comprehend that any parent who has a child who is unwell will, as soon as they are given a diagnosis go to any and every information source available.
As soon as they find that the doctor has withheld a treatment, a hope however miniscule then anger, confusion and despair will overwhelm them.
This clip from the 1998 film ‘First Do No Harm.’ Captures that brilliantly when it shows the moment that Meryl Streep discovers that the Doctors have withheld information about the ketogenic diet.
I think the ‘code of medical ethics of the American Medical Association’ says it best.
“It is a fundamental ethical requirement that a doctor should at all times deal openly and honestly with patients………Only through full disclosure is a patient able to make informed decisions regarding future medical care.”
Code of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association: Council on Ethical
and Judicial Affairs, Current Opinions with Annotations, 2006-2007
We grant doctors the privilege of caring for our families and us and in return they should grant us the curtsey of deciding what information is relevant and what isn’t.
