[International developments in the field of patient rights]

Patients' rights in Europe are becoming more and more similar. International agreements influence this development. New are the 'Declaration on the promotion of patients' rights in Europe' drawn up by the Regional Office for Europe of the WHO and adopted by a special European Consultation in 1994, and the draft of a 'Convention for the protection of human rights and dignity of the human being with regard to the application of biology and medicine' (Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine of the Council of Europe). The WHO-declaration has also influenced the "Declaration of the rights of patients' of the World Medical Association in 1995.