Intended blinders in research.

It could be argued that science is the only generally recognised cognitive authority in the world today. Science is not constrained by frontiers between countries. The art of science is influenced by more factors, how entrenched ideas govern scientific beliefs, also by talent, trends, politics, lobbying, peer-review, priority, conflict of interest etc.

The Ombudsman's involvement in ensuring patients' rights.

An analysis has been carried out on the extent and character of patient complaints regarding physicians' conduct, received by the Danish Parliament's Ombudsman during the period 1983-1993. Only a few of the complaints to the Ombudsman are treated completely or partially, because the Ombudsman only examines the administrative handling of the case, and declines to consider the medical opinion. The consequences of the actions chosen by the Ombudsman, regarding ensuring patients' rights, are discussed.

The legal position with regard to informed consent in Denmark.

Four elements are of importance in the handling of alleged physician faults: the political aims in this field, formal rules, administrative practice by the disciplinary board, and court rulings. However, in general, the law and the guidelines based on it regarding informed consent permit, to a very great extent, the physician to determine what relevant information the patient is to receive, and violation of the principle of informed consent is judged leniently. It is to be questioned whether this satisfies the patient and ensures the right to self-determination, and whether the regulations or the way in which they are applied are in agreement with the political aims in the field.