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You can’t give informed consent unless you know what the recommended treatment may or may not do. This means having a transparent conversation about:

• The benefits of the treatment
• The risks and known side effects
• The uncertainties and limitations

This is the part of informed consent where things often get vague or rushed. But, every product or procedure has a tradeoff. You deserve to know what that is, in your specific case, before agreeing.

What Are the Benefits?

You could ask your provider: “What benefit should I realistically expect based on clinical evidence, not just assumptions?” or “What percentage of people in studies actually saw this benefit?”

Why this matters: Pharmaceutical marketing often overstates benefit and underplays limitations. Real-world data sometimes shows a much smaller effect than people expect. Be specific. Ask about outcomes for your age, health status, and goals.

What Are the Risks and Side Effects?

This is where the insert becomes your best friend, but it’s also important to ask your provider about what they’ve seen in their practice. Some questions to ask:

• “Can we talk through the known side effects and how likely they are?”
• “Are there any long-term effects that might show up months or years later?”

And most importantly:

• “How will I know if I’m having a reaction and what should I do if that happens?”

Many people only learn about risks after experiencing them. Talking with your provider on what they’ve seen with other patients, and reading the insert beforehand provides essential information to make a knowledgeable and confident medical decision.

What’s Still Uncertain?

No product or protocol is risk-free or fully understood (especially newer treatments). Informed consent means acknowledging what’s not yet known. Ask:

• “Have there been any updates since the product came to market?”
• “Are there any unknowns with this product that I should be aware of?”
• “Has this treatment been studied long-term in people like me?”

Many pharmaceuticals are approved based on short-term studies, often without long-term data on fertility, neurological outcomes, or chronic immune effects, especially in women and children. Be sure to discuss these concerns with your provider to let them know it’s important for you to be aware of these uncertainties.

What If the Effect Isn’t Worth the Risk?

This is a deeply personal question and your answer may differ from someone else’s. That’s why effects must be discussed clearly, not assumed. You have the right to say:

• “I understand the benefit but based on the risks and uncertainties, this doesn’t feel worth it to me right now.”
• “I’d like more time to process this and come back with questions. Is that okay?”

Reflection Question: Have you ever learned about a side effect after starting a treatment? How would that experience have changed if the effects were clearly discussed first?

To learn more about understanding risk vs. benefit in medicine, be sure to listen to this podcast episode. Now that you’ve explored the benefits, risks, and uncertainties of the recommended treatment, there’s another essential piece to fully informed consent:

• “What else is available?”

Because even if the diagnosis is sound…
And the treatment is clearly laid out…
And the effects have been explained…

You still can’t consent if you were never shown your other options.

Head to the next lesson to talk about what that really means and why it’s one of the most frequently skipped (and most empowering) parts of medical decision-making.