Misconduct and Consent: The Importance of Informed Consent in Medical Research

Abstract

Human subject research in the medical arena offers an indisputable contribution to society. However, all medical research needs to be conducted through maintaining strict levels of research standards and by complying with applicable regulations and guidelines. Despite this, medical research misconduct has been around for centuries, with countless examples of gross ethical oversights and morally flawed decisions made by both medical practitioners and researchers. One area of such misconduct is within that of informed consent. Despite the continually evolving rules and regulations surrounding informed consent in medical research, countless breaches are present surrounding the topic. In this paper, we discuss the origins of informed consent, the regulations and guidelines surrounding it, the common types of informed consent necessary to be gathered, and the potential pitfalls therein. We conclude with an overview of a selection of breaches in informed consent in the area of medical research and their likely reasons.