The legal term describing a patient’s agreement to a doctor performing an operation, arranging drug treatment, or carrying out diagnostic tests. Strictly, consent is valid only if the patient has been fully informed about the purpose of the procedure, the likely outcome, and any complications and side effects. Consent cannot be given by children or by people with serious mental disorders, but a relative may give or withhold consent on their behalf. The patient’s consent is also needed before a doctor supplies confidential information to an insurance company, employer, or lawyer.
Consent |
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