Abstract
One of the causes of the increasing request for radiological examinations occurring in all economically developed countries is the active role played by the patient-consumer. Consumerism places the radiologist in an ethical dilemma, between the principle of autonomy on the one hand and the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice on the other. The choice made by radiologists in moral dilemmas is inspired by an adherence to moral principles, which in Italy and elsewhere refer to the Judaeo-Christian tradition or to neo-Darwinian relativism. Whatever the choice, the radiologist is bound to adhere to that choice and to provide the patient with all the relevant information regarding his or her state of health.
Riassunto
Il continuo aumento della richiesta di esami radiologici che si verifica in tutti i paesi economicamente sviluppati riconosce tra le sue cause l’intervento attivo dei pazienti-consumatori. Il consumismo pone i radiologi di fronte ad un dilemma etico, tra il principio di autonomia e gli altri principi etici di beneficenza, non maleficenza e giustizia. La scelta operata da ciascun radiologo nei dilemmi morali sarà ispirata dall’adesione a principi morali, che nella nostra società si riferiscono alla tradizione giudaicocristiana, o al relativismo neo-darwiniano. Qualunque sia la scelta, il radiologo è tenuto a rendere conto di essa e a comunicare al paziente tutte le informazioni rilevanti per il suo stato di salute.
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Magnavita, N., Bergamaschi, A. Ethical problems in radiology: radiological consumerism. Radiol med 114, 1173–1181 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-009-0438-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-009-0438-y