Psychiatric Diagnoses and Informed Consent

 

Andrew Clark, The Journal of Clinical Ethics 29, no. 2 (Summer): 93-9.

 

Although informed consent for treatment has become a cornerstone principle of psychiatric care, the process of diagnosis has remained largely in the hands of the physician alone. While the conferring of a psychiatric diagnosis has historically not been considered a form of medical intervention, the potential impact of a diagnosis for any particular patient may be substantial. This article explores the challenges involved in balancing respect for patients with the physician’s duty of truth-telling and clinical accuracy.

 

 

 

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