Gifts: Are there strings attached?

The holiday season is associated with gifts to friends and to people who provide a service to you. The most common gifts from patients to physicians include baked goods, cards, clothing, or handcrafted items.1 One study reported that 20% of physicians received a gift within the past 3 months.2,3 While gift-giving is generous and appreciated, the motivations of the patient and how the physician reciprocates are important. Whether the physician accepts or politely refuses the gift involves several ethical issues, including the right or autonomy of patients to give gifts as a sign of appreciation, beneficence, and nonmaleficence.

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