What two factors are required for a patient's consent to be considered valid?

For a patient's consent to be considered valid, the two essential factors are that the patient must be informed and competent. When a patient is informed, they have received sufficient information about the proposed treatment, including its risks, benefits, and alternatives. This understanding ensures the patient can make a meaningful decision regarding their healthcare.

Competence refers to the patient's ability to understand the information presented and to make decisions based on that understanding. If a patient is deemed incompetent, perhaps due to mental incapacity or being under the influence of substances, they cannot provide valid consent.

These two factors—being informed and competent—are foundational in the practice of medical ethics and law, as they protect the patient's autonomy and right to make choices about their own health care.