BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Relations of human society with the universe and the application of ethical concepts studied by philosophers to follow the evolution of biomedical sciences gave birth to Bioethics. The aim is to deal with advances in physician-patients relationships proposed by bioethical principles in addition to traditional Hippocratic principles. This study aimed at encouraging and deepening bioethical discussions in anesthesiology. CONTENT: The essay discusses limits between benevolent and non-maleficent medical acts deeply involved with patients well-being, the benefits of a paternalist medical approach aimed at preserving health and life and the respect for ill people, potential patients, and their right to free, renewable, revocable and thoroughly informed consent for any medical act. CONCLUSIONS: Based on what is here presented, the anesthesiologist should always decide beneficially to protect individual health and the sacred right of life, understanding the limits between patients' autonomy and the physician's right to administer arbitrary treatment regardless of patients' will, in compliance with beneficence and non-maleficence principles by making available the benefits of medical science (justice) in favor of life since very often in anesthesia there is an unintelligibly subtle limit between life and death.
ANESTHESIOLOGY; BIOETHICAL