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Iatrogenic kindness.

Edwin Jesudason1

  • 1Rehabilitation Medicine, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK edwin.jesudason@nhs.scot.

Journal of Medical Ethics
|March 12, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Kindness in healthcare, while valued, may unintentionally cause harm. This analysis explores potential negative side effects of discretionary kindness, urging a more curious approach to its practice in medical settings.

Keywords:
Ethics- MedicalPhilosophy- Medical

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Healthcare Quality Improvement
  • Sociology of Health

Background:

  • Iatrogenesis, or harm caused by medical treatment, is a recognized issue in healthcare.
  • The role of kindness in healthcare is often lauded, but its potential to cause harm is less explored.
  • Previous work highlighted systemic shortcomings in practicing kindness within healthcare institutions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the potential for kindness, when practiced discretionarily, to cause iatrogenic harm.
  • To reflect on responses to the idea that kindness may have harmful side effects.
  • To encourage a more curious examination of kindness in healthcare practice.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis and reflection on iatrogenesis and healthcare practices.
  • Engagement with critical responses from other scholars (Cheung, Tan, and Neo).
  • Exploration of ethical considerations surrounding discretionary kindness in healthcare.

Main Results:

  • Kindness, particularly when discretionary, can pose ethical problems and potentially lead to harm.
  • Discussions reveal differing views on whether kindness's virtuous nature protects it from causing harm.
  • A potential side effect of localized kindness is the deprivation of care for others, especially those less immediately considered.

Conclusions:

  • Simply condemning healthcare professionals or institutions for failing to practice kindness is insufficient for learning.
  • A more curious approach is needed to understand the complex effects of kindness in healthcare.
  • Further investigation into the unintended consequences of kindness, such as resource allocation and equitable care, is warranted.