Il consenso informato
Non solo un enunciato deontologico - Melefovet
Informed consent in veterinary practice
Authors
Bestonso R.
Medico veterinario comportamentalista, libero professionista di Torino già Vice presidente dell’Ordine dei medici veterinari della provincia di Torino. MELEFOVET
Summary
The relationship between veterinarian and pet’s owner has deeply changed in these last decades. The paternalistic vision has turned into a global involvement of both sides in the diagnosis and therapy decisions. In Italy this change started in 1978 thanks to the law establishing the National Health System and developed in 1992 further to a Supreme Court’s sentence that obliges the veterinarian to inform thoroughly the client who has to sign the “informed consent”. Despite what many veterinarians might have thought, the consent is mandatory not just because of ethical reasons but mainly because of the above mentioned Court’s sentence. Therefore omissions and/or violations of the informed consent are considered a guilt of non – fulfilment as the consent is a “medical duty”. The veterinarian can consequently be accused of criminal negligence.
Keywords
informed consent, civil liability, veterinary practice
