Informing the parents of a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy about the dental risks of the condition primarily fulfills which ethical principle?

Correct answer: D. Autonomy

• A. Non-maleficence is the duty to avoid harm.
• B. Beneficence is acting for the patient's benefit; education supports it but the principle at stake in disclosure is autonomy.
• C. Justice concerns fair distribution of resources and access to care.
• D. Correct. Providing the information needed to make an informed decision respects autonomy — the substrate of valid informed consent. For a minor, this operates through the parents as surrogate decision-makers.