Informed consent is defined as:

• A. A physician's decision to treat without patient input
• B. The action of an autonomous, informed person agreeing to submit to medical treatment or experimentation
• C. An obligation to keep patient information private
• D. An agreement to participate in a research trial without disclosure

Answer: (B)

Informed consent centers on the patient's autonomy and understanding. It means a person who has the capacity to decide is given information about what is being proposed—its risks, benefits, and alternatives—and freely agrees to proceed with treatment or participation in research. The description that best matches this idea is an autonomous, informed person agreeing to submit to medical treatment or experimentation, because it links both understanding and voluntary agreement to act.

This reflects why consent is not just about doing something chosen by a physician, nor about privacy alone. It also means that a patient isn’t coerced and has enough information to make a meaningful decision. The other descriptions miss essential elements: one describes physician-driven decision-making without patient input, which undermines autonomy; another centers on confidentiality and privacy, not on the act of agreeing to care; and another suggests participation without any disclosure, which fails the information-and-consent requirement. In practice, informed consent also involves confirming the patient understands the information, ensuring they have the capacity to decide, and allowing questions before agreeing.