What are the two main requirements for informed consent?

The two main requirements for informed consent are that the patient must be competent to make decisions regarding their healthcare and must be adequately informed about the benefits and risks of the proposed treatment or procedure. Competence refers to the patient's ability to understand the information presented and make a reasoned decision based on that understanding.

Being informed involves more than just knowing that a procedure will occur; it encompasses understanding the nature of the treatment, its potential risks, benefits, and alternatives. This ensures that the patient can make an informed choice about whether to proceed with the treatment.

While explaining benefits and risks and ensuring that the patient is adequately informed are essential components of the consent process, without competence, a patient cannot truly give informed consent. Additionally, while financial costs can be a consideration in healthcare decisions, they are not typically considered part of the informed consent process, which focuses more on the medical and ethical dimensions of treatment.