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Does a patient have the right to select the brand of consumables?

Dr Chandra M Gulhati
Editor, MIMS,
New Delhi

Q: Does a patient have the right to choose a brand of disposables prior to surgery in India as these disposables are to be used in his/her body? Is there any law to safeguard his/her choice?

A:Legally, the patient has every right to select the brand of the consumable(s). In practice however, a doctor for a variety of reasons not excluding an interest in a particular brand may ask the patient to sign a declaration that the patient accepts full responsibility for any problem that may arise.