Ucc Essentials

formation in a manner that facilitates an informed judgment; to be assisted with weighing the benefits, burdens and available options in their treatment, including the choice of no treatment; to accept, refuse or terminate treatment without deceit, undue influence, duress, coercion or penalty; and to be given necessary support throughout the decision-making and treatment process.   Principle of Informed Consent - it is the right and responsibility of every competent individual to advance his or her own welfare. This right and responsibility is exercised by freely and voluntarily consenting or refusing consent to recommended medical procedures, based on a sufficient knowledge of the benefits, burdens, and risks involved. The ability to give informed consent depends on: 1) adequate  disclosure  of information; 2) patient  freedom  of choice; 3) patient  comprehension  of information; and 4) patient  capacity for decision-making . By meeting these four requirements, three necessary conditions are satisfied: 1) that the individual’s decision is voluntary; 2) that this decision is made with an  appropriate  understanding of the circumstances; and 3) that the patient’s choice is deliberate insofar as the patient has carefully considered all of the expectedbenefits, burdens, risks and reasonable alternatives.  Legally , adequate disclosureincludes information concerning the following: 1) diagnosis; 2) nature and purpose of treatment; 3) risks of treatment; and 4) treatment alternatives. Principle of Proportionate and Disproportionate Means - often used synonymously with the term "ordinary/extraordinary means" since the two sets of terms were equated in the 1980 Vatican Declaration on Euthanasia. This principle constitutes an important approach to the analysis of ethical questions arising from the general obligation to preserve human life and the limits of that obligation. Among other questions, the principle addresses whether the forgoing of...