I have asked this question of my peers in deciding the best approach to treating a difficult patient. Patients can often be swayed one way or another by this personal information but it does not mean that they should be deprived of having it. I believe that this information is a powerful attestation in helping to decide a difficult issue. Yes, if asked they should be allowed to do so with care. They should not be compelled to do so, If they are aware that the patient is seeking to lay resonsibilty onto someone other than themselves it is not appropriate.
Doctors wield a great deal of power even today.
They are sometimes the only source of real infromation based in reality that a patient receives in an out of the hospital setting. In hospital there are numerous sources of information available to the patient, but either the patient may not avail themselves of those resources or those resources may not inform the patient out of fear of an aggressively controlling physician. Another factor that must be considered when an opinion is given by a physician is that there is at least the potential for a conflict of interest. In fee for service to run up the bill. In managed care to keep costs low.