DIGITAL TWINS

In anticipation of the digital medicine landscape of 2030, informed consent mustevolve from a mere documentary act into a multimedia, interactive, accessible, andlegally traceable process, ensuring that automation does not supersede patientautonomy. Digital twins—computational representations constructed from clinicaldata, imaging, and physiological models—can contribute to surgical planning andtherapeutic personalization; however, their simulations do not constitute certainty ofprediction and demand rigorous validation, explicit delineation of boundaries, andmeticulous communication of uncertainties. In transnational telemedicine, we positthat the consent process must disclose professional identity, the inherent limitationsof remote evaluation, technological risks, the processing and international transfer ofdata, and the available in-person alternatives. Regarding gene editing, brain-computerinterfaces, and nanotechnology, we deem it necessary to distinguish demonstratedbenefits from experimental possibilities, as well as known risks from uncertainties,particularly when the consequences may affect future generations. We propose theCBMAT-2030 model, which articulates auditory, visual, interactive, legal, andtraceability modules. Patient comprehension should be verified through dialogue—including the teach-back method—rather than through exclusionary algorithmicscoring. Ultimately, the validity of consent will depend upon the quality ofinformation, voluntariness, accessibility, data protection, professional responsibility,and ethical and regulatory oversight, rather than the mere execution of an electronicsignature. The central challenge lies in guaranteeing genuinely informed decisions,thereby preserving dignity, privacy, and human clinical judgment in the face ofescalating technological complexity.