Which statement correctly describes therapeutic privilege?

• A. Waiver: The patient's voluntary and deliberate giving up of the right to informed consent
• B. Therapeutic privilege: The withholding of relevant information from a patient when the physician believes disclosure would likely do harm
• C. Waiver: The physician's unilateral denial of consent
• D. Therapeutic privilege: The obligation to disclose all possible risks

Answer: (B)

Therapeutic privilege is the withholding of information from a patient when disclosure would likely do harm. This concept is about protecting a patient from information that could cause significant distress, confusion, or impairment of decision-making, rather than denying care or deceiving the patient. It is a cautious, exception-based approach to sharing information, used only when full disclosure would pose a real risk. It differs from waiver, where the patient voluntarily gives up the right to be informed, and from the idea of always disclosing all possible risks. It also isn’t about the physician denying consent altogether. The key idea is that the physician may tailor or delay information to prevent harm while still respecting the patient’s eventual need to know and participate in decisions.