Does the signing of a printed form on admittance or in the ward or patient's room constitute “informed consent?” The author believes not, and analyzes the defects of this common procedure. Must every conceivable mishap that might result from an anesthetic procedure be related to a patient, to obtain informed consent? Again, the author believes not, and offers a formula for a “reasonable” presentation of risks involved, defining a significant risk as one which poses a high (10 percent or greater) incidence of transient complications or a low (0.5 to 1 percent) incidence of permanent sequelae.