Physicians and the minefield surrounding informed consent

Most of the legal cases that follow the informed-consent standard set in recent court cases have involved surgical procedures. However, issues concerning a pregnant British Columbia mother who contracted chicken pox and whose child was subsequently born with severe medical complications demonstrate the complexity of medical decision making and the inadequacy of established legal requirements, especially when consent has dimensions beyond technical considerations usually associated with medical procedures. The problem physicians face, says lawyer Karen Capen, is to find a way to balance a range of professional responsibilities and the overriding fiduciary obligation to patients in matters associated with informed decision making and consent.