To act or not to act, that is the question: informed consent in a criminal perspective

Some years ago the doctor was seen as the one who "knows better", and it was absolutely unconceivable that the patient could refuse the suggested treatment or even ask any questions about it. Differently, nowadays doctors face demands to keep their patients informed and can even be sued when they act without patient knowledge and consent. On the patient's side this new paradigm does not necessarily legitimate euthanasia--still criminally forbidden in most parts of the world--but allows some kind of personal power over body, health and life, materialized in advance directives. On the doctor's side, it entails a change in the list of good medical practices, imposing the doctrine of informed consent and the prohibition of dysthanasia.     

National standard health care provider identifier--HCFA. Proposed rule

This rule proposes a standard for a national health care provider identifier and requirements concerning its use by health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers. The health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers would use the identifier, among other uses, in connection with certain electronic transactions. The use of this identifier would improve the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and other Federal health programs and private health programs, and the effectiveness and efficiency of the health care industry in general, by simplifying the administration of the system and enabling the efficient electronic transmission of certain health information. It would implement some of the requirements of the Administrative Simplification subtitle of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.     

Regulation for the enforcement of federal health care provider conscience protection laws. Final rule

The Department of Health and Human Services issues this final rule which provides that enforcement of the federal statutory health care provider conscience protections will be handled by the Department's Office for Civil Rights, in conjunction with the Department's funding components. This Final Rule rescinds, in part, and revises, the December 19, 2008 Final Rule entitled "Ensuring That Department of Health and Human Services Funds Do Not Support Coercive or Discriminatory Policies or Practices in Violation of Federal Law" (the "2008 Final Rule"). Neither the 2008 final rule, nor this final rule, alters the statutory protections for individuals and health care entities under the federal health care provider conscience protection statutes, including the Church Amendments, Section 245 of the Public Health Service Act, and the Weldon Amendment. These federal statutory health care provider conscience protections remain in effect.     

Medical: informed consent--designate health care professionals to obtain informed consent. Final rule

This document amends U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical regulations on informed consent. The final rule authorizes VA to designate additional categories of health care professionals to obtain the informed consent of patients or their surrogates for clinical treatment and procedures and to sign the consent form.