How many doctors concealed cancer from patients – the horrifying pages of history

The article discusses how, in the mid-20th century, concealing a cancer diagnosis from the patient was a standard of medical ethics. In 1961, 90% of American doctors did not inform patients about cancer, guided by the concept of "benevolent deception" and the belief that shocking news could hasten death.

The article on the Kursor website describes the historical practice of concealing a cancer diagnosis from patients, which was a standard of medical ethics in the mid-20th century. According to historical data, in 1961, about 90% of American doctors stated they would not inform a patient about having cancer. This practice was based on the concept of "benevolent deception": doctors believed that shocking news could hasten a person's death. The American Medical Association's code of ethics advised refraining from gloomy prognoses, shifting this responsibility to relatives. Statistics from the last century show the scale of the phenomenon: in 1953, only 3% of doctors always informed patients about cancer, 28% did so regularly, and 69% preferred to conceal the diagnosis. In 1961, a study in Chicago involving 219 specialists confirmed that 90% of doctors withheld information, sometimes deliberately altering medical records. At the same time, the majority of patients wanted to have full information. In subsequent decades, the medical paradigm shifted in favor of informational openness and respect for patient autonomy.