BMJ 2015;350:h1787 doi: 10.1136/bmj.h1787 (Published 7 April 2015)
Page 1 of 1
Letters
LETTERS NEW UK LAW ON CONSENT
New law on consent will overload seriously ill patients Santhanam Sundar consultant oncologist Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
The judgment in the Montgomery case will burden most patients with “information overload” for the sake of benefiting a minority.1 In particular, patients with a serious illness such as cancer will be left more distressed because they are often not in a good enough physical or psychological state to logically and rationally analyse every bit of detailed information provided, and neither do they have the luxury of time. Franz J Ingelfinger, the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, died from complications of oesophageal cancer in 1980. Having previously dealt with countless manuscripts containing a vast amount of clinical trial data, he would have been expected to be capable of logically and rationally analysing every bit of medical information. But as a patient with oesophageal cancer, he was bewildered by information and opinions provided in good faith by various esteemed colleagues. As a patient, he preferred a certain degree
of paternalism from his physician to guide him through his treatment choices.2 3
The new law will inevitably lead to patients being given detailed information on comparatively uncommon as well as rarer serious complications. Ordinary patients, who often have less clinical and statistical knowledge than Dr Ingelfinger, will struggle to process this exhaustive information. Competing interests: None declared. 1 2 3
Sokol DK. Update on the UK law on consent. BMJ 2015;350:h1481. (16 March.) Ingelfinger FJ. Arrogance. N Engl J Med 1980;303:1507-11. Gillon R. Paternalism and medical ethics. BMJ 1985;290:1971-2.
Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h1787 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015
[email protected] For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
Page 1 of 1
Letters
LETTERS NEW UK LAW ON CONSENT
New law on consent will overload seriously ill patients Santhanam Sundar consultant oncologist Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
The judgment in the Montgomery case will burden most patients with “information overload” for the sake of benefiting a minority.1 In particular, patients with a serious illness such as cancer will be left more distressed because they are often not in a good enough physical or psychological state to logically and rationally analyse every bit of detailed information provided, and neither do they have the luxury of time. Franz J Ingelfinger, the former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, died from complications of oesophageal cancer in 1980. Having previously dealt with countless manuscripts containing a vast amount of clinical trial data, he would have been expected to be capable of logically and rationally analysing every bit of medical information. But as a patient with oesophageal cancer, he was bewildered by information and opinions provided in good faith by various esteemed colleagues. As a patient, he preferred a certain degree
of paternalism from his physician to guide him through his treatment choices.2 3
The new law will inevitably lead to patients being given detailed information on comparatively uncommon as well as rarer serious complications. Ordinary patients, who often have less clinical and statistical knowledge than Dr Ingelfinger, will struggle to process this exhaustive information. Competing interests: None declared. 1 2 3
Sokol DK. Update on the UK law on consent. BMJ 2015;350:h1481. (16 March.) Ingelfinger FJ. Arrogance. N Engl J Med 1980;303:1507-11. Gillon R. Paternalism and medical ethics. BMJ 1985;290:1971-2.
Cite this as: BMJ 2015;350:h1787 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015
[email protected] For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
