Acquiring prior informed consent can protect the medical professionals and institute from being liable under both tort and criminal law. 1 Read an atypical case of a last-minute refusal by a stem cell donor, leading to the death of a 7-year-old female with inborn thalassemia major. 2 Prior informed consent regarding the potential procedural risks was not obtained from the family. Case A 7-year-old female with inborn thalassemia major was given chemotherapy before the donor’s cells’ arrival.
The girl died as the stem cell donor backed out at the last minute. The deceased’s father lodged a complaint against the treating doctor, stem cell donor registry service, and the hospital for not preserving his daughter’s cells as a backup and not informing him about the complications and risks involved. The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Punjab, exonerated the stem cell donor’s…
