The relationship of autonomy and integrity in medical ethics

The emergence of autonomy as a sociopolitical, legal, and moral concept has profoundly influenced medical ethics. It has shifted the center of decision-making from the physician to the patient and reoriented the whole physician-patient relationship toward a relationship more open, more honest, and more respectful of the dignity of the person of the patient. But autonomy is insufficient to guarantee the nuances and the full meanings of respect for persons in medical transactions. As a foundation for medical relationships, the concept of integrity is richer, more fundamental, and more closely tied to what it is to be a whole human person. So, for reasons outlined in this article, we should deepen our grasp of the notion that autonomy depends upon preserving the integrity of persons and that both integrity of persons and autonomy depend on the physician.