Medical: Informed Consent-Extension of Time Period and Modification of Witness Requirement for Signature Consent

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This document adopts as a final rule the proposed rule amending the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical regulations on informed consent. This final rule extends the period of time during which a signed consent form remains valid from 30 to 60 days and eliminates the requirement that a third-party witness the patient or surrogate and practitioner signing the consent form, except in those circumstances where the patient or surrogate signs with an "X" due to a debilitating illness or disability, i.e., significant physical impairment and/or difficulty in executing a signature due to an underlying health condition(s), or is unable to read and write.