This volume investigates the ethical and legal complexities surrounding informed consent within the medical profession, specifically examining how traditional practices align or conflict with modern standards. The authors, G. R. Dunstan and Mary J. Seller, draw upon their extensive backgrounds in medical ethics and clinical genetics to analyze the evolution of patient autonomy. They present a framework that balances the historical paternalism of the medical field against the contemporary requirement for transparent, patient-centered decision-making processes.

Experts in the field of bioethics frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the historical development of consent protocols. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a rigorous resource for students and practitioners of medical law.