Monash bioethics review
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Monash bioethics review · Jan 2007
The patient, the doctor and the family as aspects of community: new models for informed consent.
Filial obligation and its implications have been little-debated in ethics. The basis of informed consent in libertarian positions may be challenged by inclusion of others beyond the immediate doctor-patient relationship. ⋯ Although such a position undoubtedly confronts traditional notions of autonomy, it offers an alternative that may positively impact the practice of medicine by providing a more holistic treatment context. New models premised on shared decision-making will be presented as frameworks that may provide a theoretical basis for greater physician input into medical decisions that impact a patient's family members and in more global terms, his or her community.