title: Risk-Taking: Individual and Family Interests.
abstract: Decisions regarding clinical procedures or research participation typically require the informed consent of individuals. When individuals are unable to give consent, the informed permission of a legally authorized representative or surrogate is required. Although many proposed procedures are aimed primarily at benefiting the individual, some are not. I argue that, particularly when individuals are asked to assume risks primarily or exclusively for the benefit of others, family members ought to be engaged in the informed consent process. Examples of procedures in which individuals are asked to assume risks primarily or exclusively for the benefit of others include living organ donation and research participation.
authors.affiliation: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA iltisas@wfu.edu.
authors.forename: Ana S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Iltis
mesh_terms: D026688:Bioethical Issues; D002681:China; D003469:Culture; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology*; D005195:Family Relations; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000523:psychology*; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D009014:Morals; D010686:Philosophy, Medical; D035842:Research Subjects / Q000523:psychology; D012309:Risk-Taking
keywords: decision-making; family; informed consent; living donor; organ donation; research