Respect for patient autonomy in choosing medical treatment without blood transfusion

Resumo

Respect for personal autonomy is the foundation of the patient’s right to choose among scientifically supported therapeutic alternatives and to provide informed consent. Using a scientometric approach, this study analyzed the scientific output concerning the autonomy of competent adult patients who choose medical treatments without allogeneic blood transfusion. Articles were retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, SciELO, and Web of Science and analyzed with the Bibliometrix package. The results indicate that only a limited number of authors maintain a continuous research line on this topic. The World Health Organization provides guidelines for the application of bloodless treatments in both elective and emergency contexts; however, gaps remain in rare situations not covered by these guidelines. In Brazil, the 2024 decision of the Supreme Federal Court recognized the right of competent adult patients to refuse
blood transfusions on religious grounds, underscoring the bioethical and legal relevance of this issue.