In modern medicine, we respect the autonomy of the patients if they are conscious. That means, unless the patient is psychotic or disorientated or behaving abnormally or having significant brain damage that was unable to make decision, they should make the decision.
It is based on medical ethics, really. I am not a specialist of ethics and dare not to speak too much. So in short, if there is an indication, we have the expertise and resources and the patient can decide, something can be done.
It is good in a sense that we change our role from a father to a health partner to the client (which is a more politically-correct term). Don't make any change unless I agree. I am the owner of myself and I can decide.
However, life is not so simple. Everyday our medicine change, do they know really know their favored treatment and the doctor-proposed treatment? Do they really have deep thought on the consequences of the treatment?
Sometimes, especially in surgery, when you have opted for something, it is not reversible.
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