Donation, Consent

Opinion 142 of the CCNE presents the work carried out in response to a referral from the Prime Minister in July 2022: an in-depth reflection on the notion of consent in the context of gynaecological examinations or examinations affecting intimacy. It follows on from Opinion 136 of July 2021 on "The evolution of ethical issues relating to consent in health care".

After redefining and clarifying the terms, situations and ethical principles involved, this opinion sets out the benefits of mutual listening between carers and patients, over and above the asymmetry of the consultation. The specific nature and particular sensitivity of the examinations, which touch on the physical and psychological intimacy of the individual, reinforce the need to establish a respectful and reassuring framework for all.

With this text, the CCNE calls for the maintenance of a therapeutic alliance and proposes recommendations based on the expression and respect of consent and on measures to promote mutual respect. In favour of a profound alliance capable of reconnecting health care practice with the art it should never cease to be.