In informed consent, how are capacity and competence defined?

• A. Capacity is the patient’s ability to understand information, appreciate consequences, reason about options, and communicate a choice; competence is a legal determination by a court or tribunal.
• B. Capacity is a legal judgment; competence is determined by the patient’s own understanding.
• C. Capacity and competence both refer to being able to sign a form without assistance.
• D. Capacity is always equivalent to competence.

Answer: (A)