Informed refusal
Informed Refusal
Informed refusal (in-fôrmd ri-fyoo-zəl) is a term used in medical ethics and health law to denote the act of a patient choosing not to proceed with a proposed medical treatment or intervention after being fully informed about the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives.
Etymology
The term "informed refusal" is derived from the concept of informed consent, a cornerstone of medical ethics and law. The word "refusal" comes from the Old French refuser, meaning "to reject or decline."
Definition
Informed refusal is a patient's decision not to accept a proposed course of medical treatment or intervention. This decision is made after the healthcare provider has fully explained the proposed treatment, including its potential benefits, risks, and alternatives. The patient's decision must be voluntary and made without coercion.
Related Terms
- Informed Consent: The process by which a healthcare provider educates a patient about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a proposed procedure or intervention to obtain the patient's agreement to proceed.
- Competence (law): The mental capacity of an individual to participate in legal proceedings or transactions, and the legal sufficiency of such participation.
- Autonomy: In the context of healthcare, autonomy refers to the right of the patient to make informed decisions about their medical care.
- Patient Rights: The basic rules of conduct between patients and medical caregivers.
Legal Aspects
Informed refusal, like informed consent, is a legal requirement in many jurisdictions. It is based on the principle of patient autonomy and the right to bodily integrity. Failure to obtain informed refusal can result in legal liability for medical malpractice.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Informed refusal
- Wikipedia's article - Informed refusal
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski