Information to be given to patients: a UK judgment marks a turning point

A recent judgment by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom marks a turning point in the way doctors should inform patients of the risks associated with clinical treatment. The Courts previously based their judgments on the so-called "Bolam test", according to which a physician's conduct would be considered acceptable if it would be supported by a responsible body of medical opinion. The new ruling overturns this approach: doctors should no longer ask themselves what is their colleagues' prevailing stance and conform to it, but should instead assess the circumstances from the point of view of the particular patient in each case.