Whehter doctor have the right to refuse to treat patients who refuse to quit smoking? -
the more detail the better
thank you
Personally I feel that that is just a load of bullshit. I don-t think that a person who happens to smoke cigarettes is any different than those who do not smoke. Being a smoker myself, I would fight this through supreme court if a doctor refused to treat me just because I smoke cigarettes.
In short, yes. My brother is an oral surgeon, and he has had patients that he requires they quit smoking (even if only for the procedure, like 3-4 months ahead of time). In many cases, it is too risky to perform the surgery if they do not quit, so he is able to refuse treatment. In other fields this may not be applicable, but generally I-m sure that if the surgery will fail or harm the patient due to their smoking habit, they can refuse.
Hippocratic oath, which nearly every physician gives, states they should try to avoid harming them. Not treating them follows along these lines, not to mention it-s not very moral. However, free will dictates they can deny treatment to anyone.
The Hippocratic Oath is taken by all doctors. It warns against doing harm to a patient among other things.
If a doctor is of the opinion that treating a patient might cause harm or shorten the life of the patient, then they have the right not to treat the patient.
In the case of smoking, decreased lung volume and fatty deposits in the veins and arteries will reduce a patient-s chances of survival in an operation, especially if a general anaesthetic is used. Also, if, after the operation, the patient continues to smoke, they increase the risk of future problems.
If a doctor asks someone to stop smoking before an operation, this will have two benefits to the patient. Firstly, over time, the body will begin to heal itself over time as it gets a chance to rid itself of the toxins put there by smoking. Secondly, if a patient stops smoking for several months, they are less likely to go back to smoking afterwards.
It-s all about doing what is considered what is best for the patient.
Doctors can refuse any patient for any reason, unless it is an emergency.