What is a minor??
According to the definition in law, a minor is defined as a person who is less than 18 years of age. A minor is given limited rights and rest he can claim only after he comes of age. This must all be kept in mind that the age of minorities may differ from country to country. But, generally, it is taken as 18 worldwide.
Importance of Informed Consent in Medicine Practice
Informed consent is the basis of medical ethics. Whenever a doctor intends to treat his patient, he has to take permission from his patient to proceed further. Informed consent is the ideal form of consent where the patient is given complete information about his disease and its course, the methods of treatment, and the prognosis or possible outcome of the treatment options. If the patient is still willing to consent to the treatment you suggested, only then can a doctor start the treatment. If the patient refuses, the doctor cannot treat the patient forcefully.
Who can give informed consent??
All the individuals who have crossed the age of minority that is 18 years are eligible to consent to their own treatment in any form. They can consent to all the surgical procedures on them or any other invasive or non-invasive investigations and procedures.
Only a minor cannot give consent for his treatment himself.
Who can consent to a minor?
Since a minor cannot consent for the treatment and procedure to be done to him, his parents or registered guardians are authorized to consent in their place.
Minor consent form
A consent form for a minor is quite similar to the other consent forms only with slight differences.
- The Father or mother of a minor has to sign the consent and they are informed about the disease process and treatment options or surgical procedure to be done on their child.
- A minor child may or may not be provided the information depending upon his age and his ability to understand the situation.
- The person who is signing the consent form is ideally asked to write down the procedure in his own handwriting to prove that he has been informed about it.
- He or she has to write his own name, his relation to the minor child and the name of the minor child, his sex, and date of birth.
- After that, the guardian or parent has to mention the treatment and must mention that he consents to this and this treatment or surgery with his own will on his child.
- Then he signs the consent form with his full name and a witness from his side is also asked to do the same.
- It is ideal to mention the doctor’s name and his signature on the consent form to make it a complete and authentic consent form.
- Once, the consent form is signed, the treatment is started right away and if it is a surgical procedure, preparations for that procedure are made well in time.
