Introduction

Abstract

The first issue a book on informed consent should address regards why it was written at all. Of all the current pressing topics in biomedical ethics, from abortion, to the controversies surrounding access to scarce and expensive health care, to the myriad dilemmas ingredient in the area of death and dying, informed consent seems to pale in comparison as an issue. Equally, it would seem that agreement has long since been reached on the ethical necessity for the informed consent of competent patients, indicating that this is no longer a controversial issue. Finally, at least from the perspective of practicing clinicians, the intended audience of this series, the most that is needed is an explanation of the law on informed consent, particularly regarding how to honor its requirements at the bedside. But such “cookbook” approaches to informed consent have been offered.¹ Another one is hardly needed.