DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i01.006

Pages: 23-27

Abstract: Informed consent is a process for getting permission before conducting any research activity, surgery, invasive procedure or any kind of drug management on a person directly or indirectly or with his records under medical clause. An informed consent can be said to have been given based upon a clear appreciation and understanding of the facts, implications, and consequences of an work or action. To give informed consent, the individual concerned must have adequate reasoning faculties and be in possession of all relevant facts of that research work. There are three important elements that form valid informed consent viz disclosure, capacity and voluntariness. The patient should be clearly stated regarding its implications, use, advantages and disadvancetages, risk – benefits etc. It is prior duty of a physician to maintain patient autonomy and justice. The informed consent can act as protective shield by doctors. The informed consent protects the doctors from false and misleading allegations. There are few exceptions to informed consent viz. minor patients, unconscious or mentally disturbed patients etc. The objectives of writing this review are highlighting the importance of informed consent and its ethical values in clinical practice. With this background, present review explains inform consent outline elements and significance in modern clinical practice.