Challenges to informed consent.

New scientific discoveries and new technologies soon challenge our old ways of proceeding and thinking. It is no surprise then that new knowledge in molecular genetics and the ensuing developments in genetic technology bring with them new modes of thought, not just in science and medicine, but also in ethics, law and public policy. One tradition that is being challenged at the moment is the notion of informed consent. This concept, with its emphasis on individual autonomy, personal decision-making and the protection of privacy, is at the centre of medical ethics and law. However, advances in genetics and biomedical research as well as new forms of decisionmaking in healthcare may well require a rethinking of this traditional idea.