Final answer:
If an untrue report is made against a physician, a thorough investigation is conducted to determine its veracity. After investigation, if the report is false, there are usually no consequences for the physician, but the person making the report could face legal consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an untrue report is made against a physician, the correct response is that C) A thorough investigation is conducted to determine the truth. This is essential to ensure that the physician's right to due process is upheld and that justice is served. If the report is found to be untrue, it is typically disregarded and there may not be any consequences for the physician; however, this does not exclude the possibility of consequences for the individual who made the false report, which could include legal action depending on the circumstances and jurisdiction.
The ethical implications of truth-telling in medicine can be examined from different philosophical perspectives, like Act and Rule Utilitarianism. An Act Utilitarian may argue for or against honesty based on the immediate consequences of telling the truth versus those of lying, while a Rule Utilitarian would consider the long-term consequences of physicians lying to patients and generally support truth-telling to maintain trust in the healthcare system.