Informed Consent in Low-Resource Healthcare Settings: Ethical Challenges and Practical Approaches

Abstract

Informed consent is a core requirement of ethical clinical practice and an important expression of respect for patient autonomy. Although international ethical guidelines strongly support informed consent, achieving meaningful consent remains difficult in low-resource healthcare settings because of structural limitations, social factors, and systemic inequities. This narrative review examines the ethical challenges of informed consent in resource-constrained environments. Using the principles of autonomy, beneficence, and justice, the review discusses tensions between universal ethical standards and real-world clinical contexts. It also explores practical approaches that support ethical consent without ignoring cultural norms or clinical constraints. The review argues that informed consent in low-resource settings should be understood as an ongoing ethical process rather than a purely legal requirement, with shared responsibility among clinicians and healthcare institutions.

J Dhaka National Med. Coll. Hos. 2026; 32 (01): 39-42