title: HIV vaccine trials: critical issues in informed consent.
abstract: Informed consent (IC), a fundamental principle of ethics in medical research, is recognized as a vital component of HIV vaccine trials. There are different notions of IC, some legally based and others based on ethics. It is argued that, though legal indemnity is necessary, vaccine trials should be founded on fully ethical considerations. Various contentious aspects of IC are examined, especially the problem of social desirability and of adequate comprehension. The need for sensitivity to cultural norms in implementing IC procedures is critically reviewed, and some of the potential conflict between ethos and ethics is considered. The transmission of information is examined as a particular aspect of IC in HIV vaccine trials.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209 South Africa. lindegger@nu.ac.za
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindegger
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D032882:Comprehension; D003469:Culture; D003906:Developing Countries; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D035842:Research Subjects; D035844:Researcher-Subject Relations; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines