• Burgess MM

• Informed Consent
• Open Access Document

Ethical concerns about informed consent encompass the legal functions of protection of patients through self-determination, but also considers other ways of respecting patients through seeking their benefit and their autonomy. The influence of traditional medicine on patient expectations, and use of consent forms often renders consent a difficult issue in the relative safety and non-invasiveness of chiropractic practice. The ethical concern with consent, however, focuses attention on patient participation in health care decisions. Chiropractic relationships are often quite conclusive to this sharing of health care decisions after education. Exceptions to informed consent are not typically relevant to chiropractic patients who are conscious, competent and not in need of emergency treatment. It is therefore important that patients are aware of non-chiropractic alternatives and very rare risks of a serious nature. Rather than an impediment, ethical concerns about consent encourage a relationship of education and shared responsibility which encourages chiropractic patients to accept responsibility for their health.

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