Recommendations of the ESGE Workshop on Informed Consent for Digestive Endoscopy

Introduction

Informed or valid consent is a cornerstone of good medical practice, and the issue of consent must always be addressed in any procedure. As one aspect of the consent process, patients have the right to information about their own medical care as well as the right to accept or reject any recommended investigative procedure and/or therapy.

Is the term ”informed consent” or ”valid consent” more applicable [1]? The panel felt that ”valid consent” was more appropriate as it is seen as indicating a dynamic continuum rather than a single event. However, at the presentation during the general assembly, a majority voted for the use of the term ”informed consent” rather than ”valid consent”. It was felt that physicians are more familiar with the term ”informed consent” and that this term expresses the fact that the patient has been properly informed.

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