Informed Consent in Palliative Care: Part I # 164

The purpose of the informed consent doctrine is to promote autonomy of the individual in medical decision making (Meisel and Kuczewski 1996). However, the informed consent process is often viewed by physicians as being counter to an equally desirable social goal - a physician's responsibility for a patient's well-being and promotion of health. The point of balance between these two social goals is frequently misunderstood, and will be discussed in the next Fast Fact. © Copyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.