Which ethical principle requires respecting a patient's thoughts and decisions, including their choices?

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Respecting a patient’s autonomous choices means honoring their right to decide about their own care, provided they have decision-making capacity and have been given clear information about options, risks, and benefits. This principle underpins informed consent and patient-centered care: the patient’s values, beliefs, and preferences guide the final decision, even if clinicians think another action would be better. Beneficence aims to promote good but doesn’t by itself guarantee honoring a patient’s own choice; justice relates to fairness in resource distribution and access, not individual decision-making power; veracity is about truthful communication, which supports autonomy but does not fully embody the act of respecting a patient’s decisions. When a patient is capable, autonomy is the guiding principle for respecting their thoughts and choices.