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[Informed consent--on the right of self-determination]
1Asahikawa Medical College, Japan.
[Hokkaido Igaku Zasshi] the Hokkaido Journal of Medical Science
|April 18, 1998
Summary
Informed consent is challenging due to human limitations in controlling life and suffering. Acknowledging mortality and equality is key to redefining the physician-patient relationship beyond paternalism.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Medical Sociology
Context:
- The principle of informed consent is central to patient autonomy.
- Historically, the physician-patient relationship has been viewed through a paternalistic lens.
- Human existence is characterized by a lack of absolute control over life and suffering.
Purpose:
- To explore the complexities of achieving true self-determination in healthcare.
- To advocate for a shift from paternalistic models to egalitarian physician-patient relationships.
- To re-evaluate the foundation of informed consent in light of human mortality and suffering.
Summary:
- Informed consent, while aiming for self-determination, faces inherent challenges as individuals do not fully control life or suffering.
- The traditional paternalistic physician-patient dynamic is increasingly questioned.
- A new model emphasizing equality, recognizing shared mortality and suffering, is proposed as a basis for informed consent.
Impact:
- Promotes a more equitable and patient-centered approach to medical decision-making.
- Encourages a deeper understanding of autonomy within the constraints of human vulnerability.
- Facilitates a more realistic and ethical framework for informed consent in clinical practice.