Informed Consent

Question 1

What is reductionism in the human context?

Answer 1

It is the view that complex human phenomena are fully explained by reducing them to their biological processes

Question 2

What are the two facets of reductionism in the human context?

Answer 2

1. Personhood is a biological consequence
2. This leads to the elimination of the understanding of human beings

Question 3

What happened in the Stanford case of 1957?

Answer 3

Salgo lower extremities were permanently paralyzed after an aortogram

Question 4

What 3 large 1972 cases were instrumental in the development of informed consent? What developments did they make for informed consent development?

Answer 4

1. Canterbury-Spence: paralysis without information of risk - court ruled physicians must disclose all risk
2. Cobbs-Grant: Complications in an ulcer led to more problems - physicians must disclose all risks, alternatives, outcomes
3. Wilkinson-Vesey: Radiations burns from cancer treatment - guilty of negligence verdict first of its kind

Question 5

What did the US president’s commission in 1982 find?

Answer 5

Almost all surgery/anesthesia operations obtained consent, 85% of minor surgeries obtained consent, however the consent was not always adequate

Question 6

What are three examples of Canadian violation of informed consent?

Answer 6

1. Nutritional Experiment in indigenous children in the 1940s
2. Montreal Experiments - reprogramming minds )drug induced mind control without consent)
3. Forced sterilizations by eugenics

Question 7

What are two difficulties with informed consent?

Answer 7

It can be too demanding or not rigorous enough

Question 8

What are the two meanings of informed consent?

Answer 8

1. Autonomous authorization - patient informed decision making, helps autonomy
2. Institutional and Policy Based - Rules and regulations within institutional contexts

Question 9

What does the Milgram experiment force consent givers to acknowledge?

Answer 9

There is a power difference between patients, subjects, and doctors.

Question 10

What is the difference between consent that is adequate and consent that is too broad?

Answer 10

Broad: General scope of use, patients may not understand everything, violation of the second Kantian categorical imperative

Adequate: Specific, comprehensive, respects autonomy

Question 11

What was the Nature of the violation of informed consent that occurred regarding Henrietta Lacks?

Answer 11

She was never informed or compensated for her human cell line usage that led to significant advancements in medicine.

Question 12

What did the Belmont report emphasize the importance of? (6)

Answer 12

1. Respect for persons
2. Beneficence/Non-Malfeasance
3. Justice
   Informed Consent having:
4. Information
5. Comprehension
6. Voluntariness