Beneficence (also known as Benevolence, Nonmaleficence): The state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial. (from American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed). The ethical principle of BENEFICENCE requires producing net benefit over harm. (Bioethics Thesaurus)

NIH MeSH · D026686Humanities

Beneficence

Also known asBenevolence · Nonmaleficence

Definition

The state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial. (from American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed). The ethical principle of BENEFICENCE requires producing net benefit over harm. (Bioethics Thesaurus)

MeSH classification

  • K01.752.566.479.830.500
  • N05.350.958.500

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Related concepts

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Common questions about Beneficence

What does Beneficence mean in medicine?
The state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial. (from American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed). The ethical principle of BENEFICENCE requires producing net benefit over harm. (Bioethics Thesaurus) This definition is taken from the National Library of Medicine's MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) 2026 release, which is the standard vocabulary used to index PubMed and most medical literature.
Is Beneficence known by any other names?
Yes. Beneficence is also referred to as Benevolence, Nonmaleficence in different clinical, research and patient-facing contexts. The MeSH descriptor groups all of these synonyms under a single canonical concept so research and records stay consistent.
Where does Beneficence sit in the medical classification?
Beneficence falls under the broader medical category "Humanities" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: K01.752.566.479.830.500, N05.350.958.500). Browsing the related concepts on this page takes you to neighbouring topics in the same branch of medicine.
Where can I get a plain-language explanation of Beneficence?
For a plain-language explanation of Beneficence - including symptoms, treatments and what it means for an Indian patient - ask GoDavaii's Health AI. It works in 22+ Indian languages, is free and needs no signup. Tap "Ask GoDavaii AI about Beneficence" above.

Source: NIH MeSH 2026 (D026686) — National Library of Medicine, public domain. View official MeSH record ↗