Doctors Rarely Get Proper Consent for Botulinum Treatments
Botulinum toxin injections are first-line treatment for cervical dystonia, and although the injections can have adverse effects, adequate consent is rarely obtained from patients, a study shows. Formal consent was deficient at the time of an initial injection and even more so at subsequent ones.
“What tends to happen is there’s a mention of consent in a clinic letter rather than a specific form that the patient is signing,” Stefan Williams, MBBS, a trainee in neurology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Trust in the United Kingdom, told Medscape Medical News. “We feel that because the side effects are potentially serious, it’s very important to have the patient clearly document consent [and] sign for it in a clear form.”
Adverse effects may include excessive weakness in injected muscles or local drug diffusion, causing neck weakness, dysphagia, dry mouth, and sore throat. European Federation of Neurological Societies guidelines call for consent by the patient or a guardian, “understanding the potential benefits and risks,” and the Leeds local hospital guidelines state that “consent should be documented in the medical notes.”
Read the full article at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/806395?nlid=31776_1301&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=146330HN
Source: by Daniel M. Keller, PhD on June 17, 2013 for Medscape Medical News at http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/806395?nlid=31776_1301&src=wnl_edit_dail&uac=146330HN
