What is informed consent?

An informed consent is the participant's agreement to be in a study after being fully informed about what participating will involve. Informed consent begins with a discussion between the research staff and the prospective participant. Based on this discussion, participants are asked to sign a consent that includes important information regarding the study in writing. The informed consent form should include an explanation of the following:

• The purpose of the study
• The procedures involved
• The risks of participating in the study
• The possible benefits of participating in the study
• How long the study will last
• How the participant's confidentiality will be protected
• What will happen if the study causes harm to the participants
• That participation is voluntary
• That participants are free to withdraw form the study at any time

Participants are encouraged to take the consent form home to discuss with family and friends before signing. If the participant decides to participate, they will be given a copy of the signed consent so that they can review it at any time. Participants should feel free to ask the researchers questions before, during, and after the study.