Consent, in terms of medical law may be described as the autonomous authorization of intervention by individual patients undergoing medical or surgical treatment.

Consent in the context of a doctor-patient relationship, means the grant of permission by the patient on his volition for an act to be carried out by the doctor, such as a diagnostic, surgical or therapeutic procedure.

The Chapter 7 of the Medical Council of India (MCI) Code of Ethics Regulation, 2002 defines consent as follows:

MCI: 7.16: Before performing an operation the physician should obtain in writing the consent from the husband or wife, parent or guardian in the case of minor, or the patient himself as the case may be. In an operation, which may result in sterility the consent of both husband and wife is needed.