Opinion: Let’s Bring the Informed Consent Process Out of the Shadows

September 27, 2022

(Undark) – The consent forms used in clinical trials, as dense and lawyerly as they might be, are meant to answer questions like: What is involved in the study? How long will it take? Will I get paid? What happens if it goes sideways? But in many cases, few people outside of the researchers, participants, and the institutional review boards charged with approving a study ever see the language used in a trial’s consent form. Recently, there has been a push toward greater transparency, under the rationale that broadly publicizing the forms researchers use to communicate the risks and benefits of clinical trials will improve accountability, boost public trust in research, and inform the development of future consent forms. (Read More)