INFORMED CONSENTAND THE CHALLENGES OF DECISION MAKING IN MEDICALBIOETHICS
Abstract
Every profession is embedded with a hard tasking subject which could make or mar the human effort. Medical profession is one of those professions faced with numerous challenges that stand to glorify man's effort or ruin it into mud. Informed consent as a medico-ethical discourse has given an unwavering challenges to medical practitioners because of insubordinate nature of some patients who fail to adhere and succumb to medical advice. Most often, consent may be difficult to obtain in the treatment of a minor, a person who has not reached the age of maturity. In some states, courts recognize two types of minors as being capable of informed consent. Mature minors are considered to possess sufficient understanding of treatment they are to receive and its consequences despite their chronological age. Emancipated minors have the legal capacity of an adult as indicated by age, maturity, intelligence, training, experience, economic independence, and freedom from parental control. In some states, someone who is married or in the military is an emancipated minor. However, to ensure that the problem or challenges of informed consent are avoided, there is need for the Doctor to have a regular contact with his client and to ensure that proper consent is obtained, it usually better to be put in writing.