The influence of the European and Polish acts of law, regulations and standards on the forms and the contents of the informed consent for oncological treatments

It is undeniable that the consent of the patient is a prerequisite to any medical treatments. The individual must be informed and understand the treatment that he or she will undergo. The patient has to know the advantages (benefits) and disadvantages (risks, potential complications) of the proposed medical intervention. When obtaining the consent the patient should be informed of details of diagnosis and prognosis with or without the proposed medical intervention and the uncertainties and questions should be explained and answered. Therefore the informed consent forms used in The Great Poland Cancer Centre are not only documents proving that the patient agreed to perform the treatment but also tools that allow the patient to comprehend the purpose, benefits and risks of the proposed medical intervention and to participate in the decision making process.