What is the Difference Between Beneficence and Nonmaleficence?

Beneficence and nonmaleficence are two closely related ethical concepts that play a significant role in medical and healthcare settings. The main difference between them lies in their objectives:

• Beneficence refers to acts carried out for the benefit of others and their welfare, aiming to help someone and satisfy their needs. It involves taking actions that promote good and improve someone's situation. Examples of beneficence include feeding people at a soup kitchen, keeping a drowning person, or saving someone from a burning building.
• Nonmaleficence means refraining from doing something that harms or injures someone. It is the principle of not doing harm and focuses on avoiding actions that result in pain or harm to others. Examples of nonmaleficence include preventing a patient from taking a harmful medication or not saying hurtful words to another person.

Both principles are essential in medical practice, and healthcare professionals must strive to achieve both goals. However, it is sometimes impossible to determine if an action will help or harm someone, making it challenging to balance these principles. In cases where beneficence and nonmaleficence conflict, the principle of nonmaleficence takes priority over the principle of beneficence.

Comparative Table: Beneficence vs Nonmaleficence

Here is a table highlighting the differences between beneficence and nonmaleficence:

Both beneficence and nonmaleficence are important considerations in patient autonomy, but they differ in the way they are practiced. Beneficence involves actively working to benefit others, while nonmaleficence involves not causing harm to others. Healthcare professionals must balance these two principles when making decisions, ensuring that the benefits of a treatment outweigh the potential harms.