ABA Family Legal Guide

Health-Care Law

Patients' Rights

Informed Consent

Do I have to agree to everything in a consent form?

No. You have the option to cross out any clauses in the consent form if you do not agree with or consent to those clauses. Just put an X through the clause and initial it. The doctor must explain the risks of putting those restrictions on the treatment, if any. The doctor may require that the restrictions be noted in your medical record. If the restrictions are so strict as to make the procedure unsound, the doctor can choose not to proceed with the treatment.