Transformative Experiences, Anticipatory Regret, and Informed Consent

Authors

Elizabeth Lanphier, University of Cincinnati College of MedicineFollow
Shannon Fyfe, Washington and Lee University School of LawFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Hypatia

Publication Date

2025

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1017/hyp.2025.5

Abstract

Regret risk is not consistently part of information sharing within informed consent. Yet two kinds of decisions that often invoke concerns about future regret, abortion and sterilization, raise considerations for the role of regret in clinical decision-making and informed consent, particularly regarding decisions about potentially transformative experiences. We distinguish between first-personal and second-personal anticipatory regret and argue that first-personal anticipatory regret can play a productive role, but second-personal anticipatory regret can function in ways that are pernicious. Introducing second-personal anticipatory regret into medical informed consent processes is, we argue, not only not required for informed medical decision-making, but impermissible within the clinical encounter. This view has broader implications for medical decision-making about potentially transformative experiences, and for empirical research on regret regarding healthcare decisions.

Recommended Citation

Elizabeth Lanphier & Shannon Fyfe, Transformative Experiences, Anticipatory Regret, and Informed Consent, Hypatia FirstView, June 13, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1017/hyp.2025.5.