Beneficence in medical ethics is best described as:

• A. Respect for patient autonomy
• B. Acting in the patient's best interest
• C. Ensuring equal access to care
• D. Avoiding all harm

Answer: (B)

Beneficence is about promoting the patient’s welfare and choosing actions that provide real benefit, aiming to improve health or reduce suffering. In practice, clinicians strive to act in the patient’s best interest by selecting interventions that offer a net positive impact, while weighing risks and patient values. That’s why “acting in the patient’s best interest” best captures beneficence.

Respect for patient autonomy centers on honoring the patient’s right to make their own decisions, even if they differ from what the clinician might choose. Ensuring equal access to care relates to justice and fairness in distributing resources. Avoiding all harm aligns with nonmaleficence, the obligation not to cause harm, which is related but distinct from actively promoting benefit.