Who is responsible for giving informed consent for medical procedures on a 14-year-old patient?

Informed consent for medical procedures on a minor, such as a 14-year-old patient, is typically the responsibility of the parent or guardian. Legally, minors are not considered capable of providing informed consent due to their age and immaturity. Therefore, healthcare providers must seek consent from a responsible adult who has the legal authority to make medical decisions on behalf of the minor.

The parent or guardian is expected to understand the medical procedure, its risks and benefits, and to communicate this information to the minor in an age-appropriate way. This ensures that the minor can participate in the decision-making process to the extent that they are able, while still having their rights and safety prioritized by an adult who is legally accountable.

Healthcare providers do play a crucial role in explaining the procedure and ensuring that consent is informed, but they cannot give consent themselves for a patient who is a minor. A legal representative can also provide consent, but typically this would still fall under the category of a parent or guardian unless specified otherwise by law.

Overall, the significance of parental or guardian consent lies in the legal recognition of the need for an adult to safeguard the minor's welfare when it comes to medical decision-making.