Autonomy, consent and responsibility. Part II. Informed consent in medical care and in the law

Abstract

Legal recognition of patient's rights aspired to change clinical relationship and medical lex artis. However, its implementation has been hampered by the scarcity of resources and the abundance of regulations. For several years, autonomy, consent, and responsibility have formed one of the backbones of the medical profession. However, they have sparked controversy and professional discomfort. In the first part of this article, we examine the conceptual and regulatory limitations of the principle of autonomy as the basis of informed consent. We approach the subject from philosophical, historical, legal, bioethical, deontological, and professional standpoints. In the second part, we cover the viability of informed consent in health care and its relationship with legal responsibility.

Keywords: Consentimiento informado; Contrast agents; Contraste; Informed consent; Lex artis; Litigiosidad; Litigiousness; Radiology; Radiología; Responsabilidad; Responsibility.