The right to life is sacrosanct to the bearer and nobody has the authority to deprive them of this natural gift which the creator has gifted them. Just as this right is intrinsic and fundamental, so is the right to decide what happens to one’s state of health which ultimately has a far-reaching effect on the person’s life.
This is the reason for obtaining the consent of a patient before the conduct of any medical process or treatment on them is paramount. Failure to do so will render the medical practitioner liable for breach of the Medical Code and for assault on the patient or research subject. This work will discuss the key concepts around Informed Consent, the components that underlines this practice and the exceptional cases where it may be legally foregone.