As Turkey continues its transition towards digital healthcare, informed consent procedures are now going digital. A new regulation, effective as of 27 October 2026, introduces a legal framework allowing patients to provide informed consent electronically before medical interventions, offering healthcare providers an alternative to traditional paper-based procedures.

What changes in practice?

Under the new Regulation, healthcare facilities may obtain patients informed consent through the e-Nabız system or electronic communication devices used within their facilities.

The process requires verification of both the patient's and the healthcare professional's identities. Patients must also have a verified mobile phone number and may provide their consent using a one-time SMS password after reviewing the relevant consent form. For minors and persons under legal guardianship, electronic consent may be provided by their legal representatives, subject to identity verification requirements.

What should healthcare providers consider?

While the Regulation simplifies consent procedures, healthcare providers must ensure that electronic consent records and transaction logs are securely retained using timestamps and data integrity verification mechanisms and that personal data is processed in accordance with Turkish Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698.

Healthcare providers intending to adopt electronic informed consent should therefore review their existing systems and internal procedures to ensure compliance with the new requirements.