Informed Consent
Informed consent is not only a legal requirement but also a moral imperative. The legal requirement of informed consent is based on the value of patient autonomy and self-determination. Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his or her own body (Schloendorff v.Society of New York Hospital, 1914). Accordingly, the fundamental goals of informed consent are patient autonomy and self-determination(In re Farrell,1987). This goal is effectuated by allowing patients to make their own decisions about their healthcare based on their own values for as long as they are able.