Informed Consent: When, Why, And How It's Obtained

By Meghan Hosely, Marketing Content Writer

While there are many important aspects of a clinical research trial, the trial itself wouldn’t happen without research participants. Running a successful trial depends on recruiting and retaining clinical research participants. In order for individuals to participate in a study, they must receive information about what their involvement would include and voluntarily agree to participate, known as the informed consent process. Aside from being a regulatory and ethical requirement, informed consent is a good way to ensure participant knowledge and start a relationship between researcher and participant based on communication and trust that continues throughout the trial.

Informed consent is defined as the process of providing participants important information pertaining to the clinical trial, including what procedures they will undergo and possible risks and benefits. The information is intended to help participants make an informed decision on whether or not they want to start or continue with a clinical trial.