Informed consent should be obtained after the participant has been presented with pertinent information, has had adequate time to review the consent document and have all questions answered. Consent should also be obtained prior to any study specific procedures.

The Nuremberg Code aimed to protect human subjects from enduring the kind of cruelty and exploitation the prisoners endured at concentration camps. The 10 elements of the code are: Voluntary consent is essential. The results of any experiment must be for the greater good of society.

The consent form should be written in plain language, free from jargon, and should allow the participant to clearly respond to points such as: The participant has read and understood information about the project. The participant voluntarily agrees to participate in the project.

The entire informed consent process involves giving a subject adequate information concerning the study, providing adequate opportunity for the subject to consider all options, responding to the subject’s questions, ensuring that the subject has comprehended this information, obtaining the subject’s voluntary agreement …

A witness is required to attest to the adequacy of the consent process and to the subject’s voluntary consent. Therefore, the witness must be present during the entire consent interview, not just for signing the documents. The subject or the subject’s legally authorized representative must sign and date the short form.

Informed consent means that a person understands their health condition and what the proposed treatment is.

1. A doctor must take the consent of the patient before commencing a treatment/procedure.
2. Consent must be taken from the patient himself.
3. The patient should have the capacity and competence to consent.
4. Consent should be free and voluntary.
5. Consent should be informed.
6. Consent should be procedure specific.