What does "capacity" refer to in the context of informed consent?

Informed consent is a fundamental principle of medical ethics that ensures patients are empowered to make decisions regarding their own health care. The concept of "capacity" specifically refers to a patient's ability to understand relevant information regarding their medical treatment, weigh the risks and benefits, and make a voluntary decision based on that understanding. This includes the cognitive ability to comprehend the nature of the treatment options, the consequences of choosing or rejecting those options, and the ability to communicate a choice.

In this context, the focus is on the patient's cognitive skills and the ability to process information about their health and treatment options rather than on their preferences for specific treatments, the physician’s evaluation of their health status, or their familiarity with medical terminology. While preferences and understanding of terminology may be important components of the overall informed consent process, they do not specifically define what "capacity" means within this ethical framework.