Medical paternalism
Medical paternalism is a set of attitudes and practices in medicine in which a physician determines the course of treatment based on the doctor's judgment of what is best for the patient, largely discounting or ignoring the wishes and preferences of the patient under the assumption that the doctor knows what is best for the individual. These practices were current through the early to mid 20th century, and were characterised by a paternalistic attitude, surrogate decision-making and a lack of respect for patient autonomy.