Informed consent and randomised controlled trials.
Truly informed consent is a difficult thing to achieve! Patients are not healthy volunteers and their vulnerability challenges their ability to assess the risk/benefit of health choices. In this paper we consider some or the issues surrounding this important aspect of modern practice, and offer some suggestions on how to improve the process, with the goal of increasing participation in clinical research, and enhancing patients' confidence in their medical advisors.
Donnellan
P
P
University Department of Oncology, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
Smyth
J
J
D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D018579:Patient Selection; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment