Informed consent in emergency research: a contradiction in terms.
Improving the treatment of life threatening emergency illness or disease requires that new or novel therapies be assessed in clinical trials. As most subjects for these trials will be incapacitated there is some controversy about they might best protected whilst still allowing research to continue. Recent European and UK clinical trials legislation, which has effectively stopped research into emergency conditions, is discussed. Possible changes to these regulations are proposed.
Booth
Malcolm G
MG
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Royal Infirmary, Castle Street, Glasgow, G4 0SF, UK, malcolm.booth@northglasgow.scot.nhs.uk
D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000941:ethics; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005060:Europe; D006805:Human Experimentation / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000941:ethics*; D011639:Public Opinion; D006113:United Kingdom