Ethics of Breaking Sad News to Patient by Health Care Professionals

Abstract

"Sad news is defined as a situation where there is feeling of no hope, a threat to person’s mental or physical wellbeing, or where a message is given which may result in fewer choices to individuals’ lives. This issue creates ethical controversies among health care professional that who should decide and to whom health personnel will disclose this sad news. The aim of this paper is to explain and analyze this concept in the light of ethical principles. The paper will discuss the role of health care professionals in the disclosure of sad news integrating an explicit ethical decision making process."