Ethical Aspects of Informed Consent in Dementia

Ethical Aspects of Informed Consent in Dementia
Ethical Viewpoint Paper
Dhruv Parmar
Global Bioethics Enquiry, 2021; 9(1)
Open Access
Excerpt
    Informed Consent is an ethical and legal obligation that a medical practitioner or researcher must take in order to explain the treatment plan or enrol a participant in a research trial. In this process the participant or patient is informed about all the aspects of the treatment or trial in detail, which are important for the participant or patient to decide after studying these aspects in detail whether they want to voluntarily confirm their participation in the trial or is willing to undergo the said procedure or treatment. The concept is based on the principle of the Nuremberg Code, The Declaration of Helsinki, and the Belmont Report.
The informed consent is described in ethical codes and regulations for human subject’s research. The goal of the informed consent process is to provide sufficient information to a potential participant, in a language which is easily understood by him/her, so that he/she can make the voluntary decision regarding “to” or “not to” participate in the research study. The same is applicable when an Individual undergoes a medical procedure, surgery or takes certain medications. No individual has the right to infringe a person’s fundamental right, thus “Informed Consent” is an important and ethical tool…