Consent for Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy will be carried out only after acquiring the consent from the patient. Before chemotherapy the details of the treatment will be explained to the patient who will then requested to sign a consent form. This denotes the permission given by the patient to be treated through chemotherapy. Before signing the form, the patient should be informed about the following:
- Nature and the duration of the treatment
- Advantages and disadvantages of the treatment
- Benefits of the treatment
- Risks involved
- Possibilities of other treatments
The treatment will begin only after getting the consent. Chemotherapy is often complex, therefore repeated explanation might be required. A list of questions about your condition, the treatment plan, its duration and side effects and how one can cope with them should be prepared before seeing the doctor or the nurse. Taking along a friend or a relative may be useful for the patient.
Alternatively the patient might decide not to have the treatment . This decision needs to be conveyed to the doctor who will then explain the outcomes of not taking the treatment. The patient's decision is then recorded in the medical charts.
