Which statement reflects nonmaleficence?

• A. Do no harm
• B. Balance risk and side effects
• C. Balance risk, side effects, and patient utility vs social utility
• D. Respect patient preferences

Answer: (C)

Nonmaleficence means avoiding harm and, in practice, choosing actions that minimize potential harm while considering the broader consequences. The statement that talks about balancing risk and side effects with both patient utility and social utility captures this active balancing act: it recognizes that any medical decision can cause harm (risk and adverse effects) and that we must weigh those harms against the benefits to the patient and, in some contexts, the overall good for society. This reflects applying nonmaleficence not as a rigid rule but as a careful assessment of when harms are justifiable.

Respecting patient preferences reflects autonomy, not nonmaleficence. Do no harm is the core idea, but real-world decisions require evaluating trade-offs, which is what this option emphasizes. Balancing risk and side effects alone is close but narrower, since it doesn’t explicitly incorporate how patient benefits compare to broader societal implications.