Beneficence

(1) Individual vs. Public Health Benefit

• Example: Mandatory vaccinations protect the community but may conflict with an individual's preferences.

• Ethical tension: Whose benefit takes priority?Tthe patient in front of you, or The larger population?

• "A new vaccine could prevent thousands of deaths each year, but some parents refuse to give it to their children. Should the government make it mandatory?"
  
  

(2) Allocation of Beneficial but Limited Resources

• Providing treatments that could greatly benefit a patient when resources are scarce.

• Example: Offering an expensive cancer drug that extends life for one patient but could fund preventive care for many others.