Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters Supporting patients

Doctor does know best

BMJ 2011; 342 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d2698 (Published 03 May 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;342:d2698
  1. David E Ward, consultant in cardiology and electrophysiology1
  1. 1St George’s Hospital, London SW17 0QT, UK
  1. david.ward{at}stgeorges.nhs.uk

The editorial by Marshall and Bibby raises questions about the relationship between physician-experts and patients seeking advice.1 The authors use the ambiguous term “shared decision making.” I favour a full non-technical explanation of the treatments I offer—citing pros and cons, explaining the evidence base, and making a recommendation. The last …

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