Beneficence

Risk-Benefit Analysis

According to Beauchamp and Childress, the evaluation of risk in relation to possible benefit in bio-medicine is often labeled risk-benefit analysis. They say that the term risk refers to a possible future harm, where harm is defined as a setback to interests, particularly in life, health, and welfare. Statements of risk are both descriptive and evaluative. They are descriptive because they state the probability that harmful events will occur, and they are evaluative because they attach a value to the occurrence or prevention of the events. Commonly in the field of biomedicine, the term benefit refers to something of positive value, such as life or health. Beauchamp and Childress state that the risk-benefit relationship may be conceived in terms of the ratio between the probability and magnitude of an anticipated benefit and the probability and magnitude of an anticipated harm. Use of the terms risk and benefit necessarily involves an evaluation. Values determine both what will count as harms and benefits and how much weight particular harms and benefits will have in the risk-benefit calculation.

Risk and benefit identifications, estimations, and evaluations are all stages in risk-benefit analysis; the next step is risk management, which Beauchamp and Childress define as the set of individual or institutional responses to the analysis and assessment of risk, including decisions to reduce or control risks. These ethicists believe that while risk-benefit analysis may seem like a technical issue, in which risks and benefits are defined, quantified, and compared, the definition of risk and benefits and the evaluation of how much risk is acceptable (risk management) are clearly ethical issues. Beauchamp and Childress offer an example: Risk management in hospitals includes establishing policies aimed at reducing the risk of medical malpractice suits.

...