The range of autonomy: Informed consent in medicine

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“…However, we maintain that autonomy is a multifactorial continuum such that a particular choice may be more autonomous than another in one respect and, at the same time, less autonomous than another in a different respect. For example, a patient who is easily manipulated is less autonomous in respect of making choices than one who is more independent in decision‐making; but this same patient may more autonomous than others in another way , eg, if he/she is physically able to act to carry out his/her decision, and they are physically incapacitated 3 . Patients who both retain the final choice and are able to exercise or act upon that choice are the most autonomous of all.…”