The technology already exists. The scientists can already turn powers on and off. We're not talking about opening a can of worms here. We're talking about what restrictions to place on the use of something that's already here. If we define consent strictly to mean the actual, freely-given consent of the party and don't make allowances for substituted consent, then I don't see any greater risk for abuse of the established channels than the risk of someone holding the council at gunpoint and flipping the switch themselves.