ABSTRACT
The doctor-patient relationship is the foundation of medical care. The medical encounter brings together two experts: the doctor whose expertise is making diagnosis and conducting treatment, and the patient whose expertness is his own history, experience, and insights regarding his medical state, functionality, and quality of life. Western medicine has evolved in a tradition of empiricism and realism where scientific and experimental methodology is highly appreciated. Alongside its outstanding advantages, the growing autonomy of the patient in medical care has rendered a myriad of concerns and complexities. The main concerns attributed to this shift from medical paternalism to patient autonomy relate to the power dynamics, mutuality, and asymmetry between patients and doctors. The pendulum between medical authority and patient autonomy is complex and influenced by both patient’s and doctor’s parameters. Patients had to accept medical practice on faith, protected by doctors’ high code of moral conduct.
