Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD): the activity whereby a qualified, ill person requests a life-ending medication to be provided by a physician and self-administers the medication. Outside of the U.S., MAiD includes voluntary active euthanasia. Read more

Except in emergencies, legal consent needs to be provided for medical, mental health, and substance abuse treatment of minors, generally defined as those youth under 18 years of age. As used here, consent means informed consent. Parents or guardians, in most cases, can provide legal consent for medical interventions for their minor children. There are some circumstances in which the minor must also assent or consent. Read more

Guardianship or conservatorship is a legal process created to provide support for the individual’s decisions and protection for the individual who a court has found to be in need of a legal guardian or conservator. Read more

Psychiatric advance directives (PAD) were developed for those patients whose condition can be expected to wax and wane, and allows patients, when competent, an opportunity to give directions and authorize treatment for those times when they become incompetent (e.g., psychotic, manic, or grandiose). PADs are an extension of the concept of a medical advance directive focused on mental health care. Read more

The concept of informed consent in medicine was introduced in the late 1950s. In the 1970’s, the practice of medicine incorporated informed consent into daily practice.  Today, the main aspects of informed consent include: Read more

Patients making medical decisions must provide informed consent. Informed consent includes three components [See Informed Consent chapter]: Capacity. Voluntariness: the decision is made without excessive influence from external sources. Adequate information: the patient receives enough information to make an informed choice about the treatment decision and alternatives. Read more