TY - JOUR T1 - Montgomery on informed consent: an inexpert decision? JF - Journal of Medical Ethics JO - J Med Ethics SP - 89 LP - 94 DO - 10.1136/medethics-2015-102862 VL - 42 IS - 2 AU - Jonathan Montgomery AU - Elsa Montgomery Y1 - 2016/02/01 UR - http://jme.bmj.com/content/42/2/89.abstract N2 - Montgomery v Lanarkshire HB is a deeply troubling decision when read closely. Paradoxically, its ruling supporting the principle of autonomy could be justified only by disregarding the individual patient's actual choices and characteristics in favour of a stereotype. The decision demonstrates a lack of expertise in dealing with specific clinical issues and misrepresents professional guidance. More fundamentally, it fails to appreciate the nature of professional expertise. This calls into question the competence of the courts to adjudicate on matters of clinical judgement and makes an attractive formulation of the test for disclosure obligations inherently unpredictable. ER -