Professor Brian Lawlor on Embracing Uncertainty and the Power of Hope in Medicine

In the article “Embracing Uncertainty and Prescribing Hope” (Irish Medical Times, June 2025), Professor Brian Lawlor explores the vital role of uncertainty and hope in clinical practice. He argues that uncertainty is an inherent part of medicine, as diagnoses are often imprecise and outcomes unpredictable. Rather than avoiding ambiguity, Lawlor encourages doctors to confront it with openness and humility, seeing it as an opportunity for growth and learning. He also emphasizes the importance of offering patients hope—not through false reassurance, but by helping them imagine positive possibilities even in the face of serious illness. Drawing on his own experience in old-age psychiatry and global brain health, Lawlor illustrates how accepting uncertainty and compassionately prescribing hope can strengthen the doctor–patient relationship and enhance the overall quality of care. Read the full article here