What if I want my doctor to make the decisions
about my care, and I don’t want more
information?
Some people prefer not to know a great deal about their diagnosis or treatment. Just as you have a
right to informed consent, you have a right to refuse information. Or you can ask for only minimal
information and trust your health provider to make decisions for you. At the same time, informed
consent laws do not allow a health provider to keep a diagnosis from the patient, even at the
family’s request. If you wish to refuse information in today’s legal environment, a wise health care
provider may require you to put that in writing.