The duty of the doctor to inform the patient of the risks: a sort of riposte to Mr Garfield.

摘要

The days of medical paternalism are gone. No longer does the patient say: "Don't tell me about it doctor, I don't understand what it's all about, I don't want to know, you know what's best, please go ahead with the operation." Today the patient enjoys autonomy and dignity, he is better informed because of education and the media and the internet, and he is entitled to be fully informed in order that he can give informed consent, or informed refusal. In terms of language and semantics care must be taken to use neutral or positive or good words rather than pejorative words.