Article 19 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
المادة 19 من نظام مزاولة المهن الصحية
The article requires patient consent or that of a representative or guardian before any medical work, requires intervention without consent in the specified emergency cases, and prohibits ending the life of a patient with no medical hope of recovery.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب ألا يجري أي عمل طبي لمريض إلا برضاه، أو موافقة من يمثله، أو ولي أمره إذا لم يعتد بإرادته هو، واستثناء من ذلك يجب على الممارس الصحي- في حالات الحوادث أو الطوارئ أو الحالات المرضية الحرجة التي تستدعي تدخلًا طبيًّا بصفه فورية أو ضرورية لإنقاذ حياة المصاب أو إنقاذ عضو من أعضائه، أو تلافي ضرر بالغ ينتج من تأخير التدخل وتعذر الحصول على موافقة المريض أو من يمثله أو ولي أمره في الوقت المناسب- إجراء العمل الطبي دون انتظار الحصول على تلك الموافقة، ولا يجوز بأي حال من الأحوال إنهاء حياة مريض ميؤوس من شفائه طبيًّا، ولو كان بناءً على طلبه أو طلب ذويه.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 19 explained in plain English
This article sets three basic rules in the patient's relationship to medical work:
First: consent is a condition of every medical act. No medical work may be carried out on a patient except with their consent, or the approval of their representative, or their guardian if the patient's own will is not given effect.
Second: the emergency exception. The healthcare practitioner must carry out the medical work without waiting for consent if two things come together:
- The case is an accident, emergency or critical medical condition that calls for immediate or necessary medical intervention to save the injured person's life, to save one of their organs, or to avoid serious harm resulting from delaying the intervention.
- And it is not possible to obtain the consent of the patient, their representative or guardian in time.
The text here uses the word "must", so intervention in this case is a duty on the practitioner, not merely a permission.
Third: the prohibition on ending life. It is not permitted under any circumstances to end the life of a patient with no medical hope of recovery, even if at their request or at the request of their relatives.
The article follows Article 18 on informing the patient of their condition, and precedes Article 20, which prevents the physician from giving a death report before confirming its cause. Anyone on whom medical work was performed without their consent outside the excepted cases may consult a lawyer specialized in healthcare practice and medical malpractice cases.
Practical example
A young man arrived at the emergency department of a hospital in Riyadh unconscious after a traffic accident, needing an immediate operation to stop internal bleeding, and the hospital could not reach his family. Here the medical team must carry out the operation without waiting for consent, because the case is an emergency and it was not possible to obtain consent in time.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 19 of the Saudi Healthcare Professions Practice Law
Can an operation be performed without the patient's consent?
As a rule, no. The exception is accidents, emergencies and critical conditions that call for immediate intervention to save life or an organ or avoid serious harm, where consent cannot be obtained in time.
Who gives consent to treatment if the patient's will is not given effect?
The patient's representative or guardian.
Is euthanasia permitted in Saudi Arabia?
No. It is not permitted under any circumstances to end the life of a patient with no medical hope of recovery, even at their request or the request of their relatives.
More articles on Patient Rights and Consent to Treatment
- Article 15
The article requires the healthcare practitioner to carry out diagnosis with the necessary care using suitable technical means and those the case calls for, and to give the patient what they request about their condition and test results, accurately and objectively.
يجب على الممارس الصحي أن يجري التشخيص بالعناية اللازمة مستعينًا بالوسائل الفنية الملائمة، وبمن تستدعي ظروف الحالة الاستعانة بهم من الأخصائيين أو المساعدين، وأن
- Article 16
The article allows the healthcare practitioner to decline to treat a patient for acceptable professional or personal reasons, except in critical or urgent cases.
للممارس الصحي - في غير الحالات الخطرة أو العاجلة- أن يعتذر عن علاج مريض لأسباب مهنية، أو شخصية مقبولة.
- Article 17
The article requires the treating practitioner to alert the patient to the need for a consultation and to agree to the patient's request for one, and allows the practitioner to decline to continue treatment if they see no need for it or disagree with the consultant.
يجب على الممارس الصحي المعالج- إذا رأى ضرورة استشارة ممارس صحي آخر- أن ينبه المريض أو ذويه إلى ذلك، كما يجب عليه أن يوافق على الاستعانة بممارس صحي آخر إذا طلب ا
- Article 18
The article requires the practitioner to alert the patient or relatives to follow instructions and warn them of the consequences of not doing so, and leaves the physician to judge whether to disclose an incurable or life-threatening illness unless the patient forbids it or names who may be told.
يلتزم الممارس الصحي بتنبيه المريض أو ذويه إلى ضرورة اتباع ما يحدده لهم من تعليمات وتحذيرهم من خطورة النتائج التي قد تترتب على عدم مراعاتها بعد شرح الوضع العلاجي
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.