word
Non-maleficence
non-mah-LEF-ih-sens
/nɒn məˈlɛfɪsəns/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
nonmaleficence
Dictionary meaning
The ethical principle that healthcare providers must avoid causing unnecessary harm to patients, summarised in the Latin maxim 'primum non nocere' — first, do no harm.
Examples
- Non-maleficence requires that any risk of harm from a treatment be justified by a proportionate benefit.
- The surgeon cited non-maleficence in refusing to perform an operation she considered unnecessarily risky.
Synonyms: do no harm, harm avoidance principle
Common mispronunciations
Mispronouncing as 'non-ma-LEF-i-scence' — the 'c' is silent
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