Consent: informed consent and more
Australian law and medical practice reflect the fundamental
ethical principle of autonomy: recognising that individuals have
the right to make informed decisions about their medical treatment.
Except in a life-threatening emergency, a patient with capacity
needs to give voluntary and informed consent before undergoing any
examination, investigation, procedure or treatment.
Patient consent today is generally understood as involving
patients and their treating practitioners in a process of shared
decision-making about treatment options.