Türkiye has introduced electronic informed consent procedures for medical interventions, allowing patients to review consent forms and submit their approval digitally through the country's personal health records platform, e-Nabız.
The Health Ministry's regulation on obtaining informed consent electronically entered into force after being published in the Official Gazette on Tuesday, enabling procedures previously carried out on paper with handwritten signatures to be completed through digital systems.
Under the new regulation, patients will be able to review informed consent forms presented to them before medical interventions directly through their e-Nabız accounts and electronically declare their consent.
The regulation is part of Türkiye's broader efforts to digitalize health care services and improve access to medical records.
Authorities will verify the identities of both patients applying to health care facilities and the health professionals responsible for obtaining informed consent before medical interventions.
Patients will also be able to provide their consent using a one-time verification code sent to their mobile phones, according to the Health Ministry.
Those who have difficulty using digital systems or require assistance due to their health conditions or disabilities will be able to complete the procedure by sharing the verification code with authorized personnel at the health care facility.
Electronic informed consent forms will be transferred to the ministry's central data recording system and made accessible to patients through e-Nabız.
The regulation stipulates that the fundamental principles of informed consent must be maintained throughout the digital process, including ensuring that patients receive sufficient, clear and timely information and make decisions of their own free will.
The new system is intended to facilitate access to consent records while maintaining patient autonomy and the safeguards required before medical interventions.
