Which of the following is NOT among the four basic principles of medical ethics?

• A. Autonomy
• B. Beneficence
• C. Nonmaleficence
• D. Privacy

Answer: (D)

Understanding the four core principles that guide medical ethics helps you see why privacy isn’t included in that quartet. The established framework centers on autonomy (respecting patients’ decisions and rights to self-determination), beneficence (promoting the patient’s good), nonmaleficence (avoiding harm), and justice (fair distribution of care and resources). Privacy, while extremely important in clinical practice—often addressed through confidentiality and respect for patient information—belongs to the domain of professional and confidentiality ethics rather than being one of the core Beauchamp–Childress principles. So, privacy isn’t one of the four fundamental principles, even though it closely relates to how we implement autonomy and protect patient information.