Which principle is NOT included in principlism?

Principlism is an ethical framework commonly used in healthcare and bioethics, and it primarily includes four key principles: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Beneficence refers to the obligation to act in the best interest of the patient, promoting good and enhancing well-being. Nonmaleficence emphasizes the duty to avoid harm to patients, ensuring their safety, and preventing suffering.

Justice, in the context of principlism, generally refers to the fair distribution of healthcare resources and the equitable treatment of individuals. Distributive justice specifically addresses how benefits and burdens are shared among members of society.

Utilitarianism, while a significant ethical theory that focuses on maximizing overall happiness or utility as a guiding principle for decision-making, is not one of the four principles commonly categorized under principlism. Instead, utilitarianism can be seen as a broader ethical approach that may influence decision-making but does not fit within the specific framework of principlism itself. Thus, identifying utilitarianism as the absent principle clarifies its distinction from the fundamental components of principlism.