The Dalai Lama once wrote: “Compassion is one of the main things that gives meaning to our lives. It is the source of lasting happiness and joy and the foundation of a good heart. Through acts of kindness, affection, honesty and justice, we not only help others, but also ensure our own benefit. On the other hand, the more our hearts and minds are afflicted with ill will, the more unhappy we become. We cannot escape the need for love and compassion. (Lama) What does this mean for health care? A doctor may feel like he is doing no harm by knowing how much knowledge the patient might have and when he knows it. Doctors withhold information from the dying so that the patient's suffering is minimal, because knowing that he is near death would cause him more harm than remaining blind to his condition (Morrison). Doctors' fear that a diagnosis of a terminal illness could push a patient into depression or cause suicide. This voluntary restraint is sometimes called “therapeutic privilege.” It may also happen that withholding information has the effect of disrupting trust between patients and doctors. A doctor who withholds information from a patient, even for humanitarian reasons, puts himself at risk of malpractice suit, even if the information is necessary for the patient to make an informed decision regarding his medical treatment (Subject: Tell the truth).Some family members may even ask doctors to hide vital information from their patients. Concealing a diagnosis from the patient can be very difficult in the long term, especially if tests and treatments are indicated. The course of medical care itself can reveal a diagnosis ...... middle of paper ...... know one's diagnosis so that the patient can decide for themselves what the course of treatment might be. As for Annie, she may have decided to fight the illness or let nature take its course, but in Annie's case, since the doctor hid her true diagnosis, Annie must have suffered in her final days because by giving her medication to relieve her pain, she could have helped Annie understand her true diagnosis. As the Dalia Lama once said: “May I become at all times, now and forever, A protector for those who are unprotected, A guide for those who have gone astray, A vessel for those who have oceans to cross, A bridge for those who have rivers to cross. , A sanctuary for those who are in danger, A lamp for those who are without light, A place of refuge for those who lack shelter, And a servant for all those who are in need (Lama)..