MCCQE Ethics and Legal Duties 2

Question 1

A capable adult patient refuses a blood transfusion on religious grounds despite life-threatening hemorrhage. What is the physician's ethical obligation?

Accepted Answer

Respect the refusal and provide alternative management

Answer

Capable adults have the right to refuse any treatment, including life-saving interventions, and physicians must respect this autonomy.

Question 2

Under Canadian law, who is the most appropriate substitute decision-maker for an incapable adult patient with no advance directive?

Accepted Answer

The patient's spouse or partner

Answer

A spouse or partner is typically the highest-priority substitute decision-maker under most provincial consent legislation in Canada.

Question 3

A patient discloses that they are HIV-positive and refuses to inform their regular sexual partner. The physician determines the partner is at serious risk. What is the most appropriate next step?

Accepted Answer

Continue counselling the patient and consider public health notification

Answer

The physician should continue counselling the patient and, if risk persists, may report to public health authorities under duty-to-warn principles while following provincial guidelines.

Question 4

Which doctrine requires physicians to disclose information that a reasonable patient in the same circumstances would want to know before consenting to treatment?

Accepted Answer

Modified objective standard

Answer

The modified objective standard requires disclosure of what a reasonable patient would want to know, as established in Reibl v. Hughes.

Question 5

A 15-year-old presents alone requesting contraception and demonstrates clear understanding of the treatment. Under the mature minor doctrine, what should the physician do?

Accepted Answer

Provide treatment after assessing capacity

Answer

Adolescents who demonstrate capacity to understand and appreciate treatment decisions may consent independently under the mature minor doctrine.

(MCCQE) Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Practice Test

(MCCQE) Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Practice Test

MCCQE Ethics and Legal Duties 2