Should the physician get consent from an adult patient before treating that patient?

Pro: The patient has the right to decide whether he or she will receive any medical treatment.

Reply: Compared with typical patients, physicians have a better understanding of what preserves life and promotes health. The consent that patients give their physicians generally corresponds to the trust those patients place in the judgments of the medical professionals.

Con: Sometimes getting consent from a patient for treatment is impossible, for example, when the patient is unconscious.