When participating in any endeavor, individuals must be aware of their legal rights and obligations to give informed consent. Informed consent is when someone willingly agrees to do something after being briefed on the potential consequences. Several rules and laws are in place to guarantee that people are properly educated and safeguarded before giving their informed permission (Cherry, 2019). An integral aspect of the rule of law, ‘informed consent’ assures that parties to a legal agreement are aware of their actions’ potential outcomes and consequences. That way, people can decide if they are willing to take on the dangers. Individuals are more protected from exploitation and coercion when they give their informed consent because they are better equipped to evaluate the pros and drawbacks of a situation.
Furthermore, legal dispute involving informed consent occurs when a patient claims that a medical provider failed to obtain their informed consent before administering a medical intervention. Therefore, the case United States v. Johnson & Johnson is an example of a recent legal dispute that involved informed consent, regulations, and the results of the dispute (United States V. Johnson and Johnson, 2015). In this particular lawsuit, Johnson & Johnson was accused of failing to inform patients of the potential adverse effects of an antidepressant drug in a satisfactory manner (United States V. Johnson and Johnson, 2015). As a result of the court’s finding that Johnson & Johnson had violated regulations regarding the informed consent process, the company was ordered to pay more than $2 billion in damages (United States V. Johnson and Johnson, 2015). Hence, this case demonstrates the significance of providing informed consent and the implications of failing to comply with regulations and laws pertaining to informed consent.
Overall, giving informed consent is essential to the legal process hence, individuals must have a solid understanding of the rights and responsibilities that pertain to them when participating in a wide range of activities. There are laws and regulations in place that regulate informed consent, and if they are not adhered to, there may be severe repercussions. The court case United States v. Johnson & Johnson illustrates the significance of obtaining informed consent and the repercussions of failing to comply with the regulations and laws that govern this area of the law.
References
Cherry, K. (2019). How Informed Consent is Used in Psychology Research and Treatment. Web.
United States V. Johnson And Johnson (DePuy) Court Docket Number: 11-CR-099. (2015). Web.