Homeopathy is useless and unethical

[highwaystar101]

Kasz216 said:

highwaystar101 said:

Doctors know much more about medicine than your average Joe, surely it is their responsibility to tell patients their way is going to be more effective. Or just overrule their decision all together if it endangers their life unnecessarily.

Let's say my preferred treatment for a cancerous tumour was to drink a tea made from exotic flowers, but the doctors know that I should have surgery to remove the tumour as my method would not be effective and would lead to my eventual death.

The treatment I want is not the right treatment, and this is what it boils down to.

Whether my preferred treatment is £50,000 or £5, the doctor should only attempt to provide the treatment that works... and homeopathy is not a treatment that works.

 

It's the doctors responsiblity to tell them what's more effetive. However it's NEVER EVER a doctors job to overrule a patient. A doctor is simply to present the options, and the various risks and rewards he sees... however it's ALWAYS the patients choice. ALWAYS. Anything else would just be unethical... ask any doctor. People should be able to have any treatment they wish.

I think you misunderstand what I meant by overrule. If a patient is endangering their life unnecessary by wishing to follow a trivial course of treatment, then they should be able to refuse said treatment. 

Fair enough it's limiting the patients options. However, I believe not providing the option of a trivial, ineffective and ultimately fatal treatment when a patients life from an otherwise curable disease is at stake is a perfectly ethical decision for a doctor to make. If the patient wishes to follow up a trivial treatment then that should be done at their own discretion.

That is what I meant by overrule their decision. I think you took overrule as force the patient to take the best course of treatment.