Book excerpt: Presents a new paradigm for informed consent based on autonomous, reflective, rational, substantially understood medical treatments that are substantially disclosed to the patient. The author redefines the physician-patient relationship as an equal partnership between two individuals with the common goal of improving overall health and well-being. She argues that if this view is acknowledged and practiced by the medical community, it will lesson the burdens of achieving an effective informed consent which is based on an autonomously derived decision by the patient. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR