ABSTRACT
Judge Benjamin Cardozo, Schloendorffv. The Society of the New York Hospital 211 NY 125,129 (1914)
These ringing statements, their origins separated by centuries, set forth the philosophical basis for an Anglo-American consensus: competent patients must be informed and must consent before any physician may "lay hands" upon them. The concept of informed consent is, indeed, a paradigm truly reflecting the way in which we look upon ourselves, and the laws of the UK and the USA, derived from similar traditions, are a reflection of our deep belief epitomizing humans as rational beings responsible ultimately for the care of their bodies.
