NichtSchadensprinzip

The Nichtschadensprinzip, or principle of non-harm, is a normative standard that actions should avoid causing harm to others. In German-language ethics, it is often equated with non-maleficence, especially in medical ethics, and serves as a baseline for evaluating potential interventions.

In medical ethics, it requires avoiding procedures with disproportionate risks, minimizing pain, and prioritizing safer alternatives, while balancing with beneficence and respect for patient autonomy. In law and public policy, it informs risk assessment and regulation: interventions should minimize foreseeable harm and avoid creating new harms; it underlies safety-by-design and precautionary measures.

In research ethics, the principle guides risk minimization, informed consent, and ethical review to protect participants.

Critics note that the Nichtschadensprinzip can be ambiguous about what counts as harm, may hinder beneficial innovations, and can conflict with autonomy or justice in various cultural contexts. Its application can require delicate balancing with other moral considerations, such as beneficence, autonomy, and social justice.

Historically, the concept has roots in the Hippocratic tradition and has been developed through subsequent ethical theories. In German-speaking discourse the term remains common, alongside related notions such as Nicht-Schädigung or primum non nocere.