informed consent

noun

: consent to surgery by a patient or to participation in a medical experiment by a subject after achieving an understanding of what is involved

Examples of informed consent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But behind its promise lies a fundamental question: Are consumers giving informed consent for their data to be used in such a pervasive and interconnected ecosystem? Amazon: An Illusion of Consent Engaging with Amazon feels simple and intuitive for most consumers: browse, purchase, repeat. Jason Snyder, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025 An investigation by Elsevier could not establish whether the researchers had obtained ethical approval for the study before recruiting patients, nor whether the patients had given informed consent to be treated with the antibiotic azithromycin. Bycathleen O’Grady, science.org, 17 Dec. 2024 From a medical professional's viewpoint, properly obtained informed consent protects the surgeon and the institution from liability. Alon Zuckerman, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024 That includes the right to free, prior, and informed consent to projects affecting Indigenous peoples’ lands or resources. Justine Calma, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for informed consent 

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of informed consent was in 1957

Dictionary Entries Near informed consent

Cite this Entry

“Informed consent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/informed%20consent. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Medical Definition

informed consent

noun
in·​formed consent in-ˌfȯrmd- How to pronounce informed consent (audio)
: consent to surgery by a patient or to participation in a medical experiment by a subject after achieving an understanding of what is involved

Legal Definition

informed consent

noun
: consent to medical treatment by a patient or to participation in a medical experiment by a subject after achieving an understanding of what is involved and especially of the risks

More from Merriam-Webster on informed consent

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