Ethics, informed consent, and assisted reproduction.
Informed consent to treatment is an ethical requirement often misunderstood or not fully appreciated by physicians. The purpose of obtaining informed consent is to ensure that patients know what doctors propose to do and freely grant their permission. Although the purpose of informed consent and the standards by which it is to be employed are the same in all areas of medical practice, special problems arise in assisted reproduction. Voluntary, informed consent is an instance of a reproductive right that should be recognized by the international medical community, and not limited to Western and European countries.
Macklin
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Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
D001675:Bioethics; D032882:Comprehension; D015925:Cryopreservation; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D030881:Disclosure; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D028781:Ethical Relativism; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D018587:Oocyte Donation; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012099:Reproductive Techniques; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012945:Social Values