This article discusses voluntary informed consent (VIC), a prerequisite for any medical intervention. The article touches upon the history of this issue in modem health care and medical science. The role of the Nuremberg Code is emphasized, which is the basis for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Code of Medical Ethics of the World Medical Association and the Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. These documents helped define the world order after the end of World War II. The first part of the article reflects the history of the concept of VIC, while the second outlines the modem ethical views on this issue.