What is informed consent?

The short answer

Informed consent is the right to be fully informed about a medical treatment before giving consent. Your doctor must explain what the treatment entails, what possible risks and side effects may be, what alternatives exist, and what happens without treatment. You always have the right to ask questions and say no. Only if you understand everything and agree, may the treatment begin. You can also always withdraw this consent.

What does the law say?

The Medical Treatment Contracts Act (WGBO) regulates informed consent in the Netherlands. This law is included in the Dutch Civil Code and gives you as a patient the right to full information about your treatment. The doctor has a duty to inform you in an understandable way about all aspects of the proposed treatment. This information must be given orally, but for major procedures you often also receive an information leaflet.

What should you pay attention to?

Make sure you understand everything before giving consent - do not hesitate to ask questions if something is unclear. Pay attention that the doctor gives you all relevant information, not just the benefits but also possible risks and complications. For major procedures, you usually get time to think it over, so use this. Remember that giving consent is not an obligation - you can always say no or change your decision later.

Example from practice

Suppose you have knee problems and the orthopedist proposes surgery. The doctor must then explain to you what the surgery entails, how long the recovery period is, what the risks are (such as infection or persistent complaints), and what alternatives exist (such as physiotherapy or pain medication). You will be given time to think about this and can always ask more questions. Only when you have all the information and consciously choose the surgery, may it take place. You can even change your mind right before the surgery.

What can you do?

If you feel that you have not been well informed or are being pressured to consent to a treatment, you can take action.