Informed consent: a review.

Abstract

Of paramount importance is the respect for autonomy and right to self-determination inherent in an ethically sound decision-making process. The President's Commission clearly summarized the prevailing view of informed consent when it stated: "ethically valid consent is a process of shared decision making based on mutual respect and participation, not a ritual to be equated with reciting the content of a form that details the risks of a particular treatment or intervention".