Defensive Medicine (also known as Medicine, Defensive, Defensive Practice): The alterations of modes of medical practice, induced by the threat of liability, for the principal purposes of forestalling lawsuits by patients as well as providing good legal defense in the event that such lawsuits are instituted.

NIH MeSH · D003675Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena

Defensive Medicine

Also known asMedicine, Defensive · Defensive Practice · Defensive Practices

Definition

The alterations of modes of medical practice, induced by the threat of liability, for the principal purposes of forestalling lawsuits by patients as well as providing good legal defense in the event that such lawsuits are instituted.

MeSH classification

  • I01.880.604.583.524.300
  • N03.706.535.606.300

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Common questions about Defensive Medicine

What does Defensive Medicine mean in medicine?
The alterations of modes of medical practice, induced by the threat of liability, for the principal purposes of forestalling lawsuits by patients as well as providing good legal defense in the event that such lawsuits are instituted. 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 Defensive Medicine known by any other names?
Yes. Defensive Medicine is also referred to as Medicine, Defensive, Defensive Practice, Defensive Practices 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 Defensive Medicine sit in the medical classification?
Defensive Medicine falls under the broader medical category "Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: I01.880.604.583.524.300, N03.706.535.606.300). 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 Defensive Medicine?
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Source: NIH MeSH 2026 (D003675) — National Library of Medicine, public domain. View official MeSH record ↗