RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Why we should not seek individual informed consent for participation in health services research
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 313
OP 317
DO 10.1136/jme.28.5.313
VO 28
IS 5
A1 J Cassell
A1 A Young
YR 2002
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/28/5/313.abstract
AB Ethics committees now require that individuals give informed consent to much health services research, in the same way as for clinical research. This is misguided. Existing ethical guidelines do not help us decide how to seek consent in these cases, and have allowed managerial experimentation to remain largely unchecked. Inappropriate requirements for individual consent can institutionalise health inequalities and reduce access to services for vulnerable groups. This undermines the fundamental purpose of the National Health Service (NHS), and ignores our rights and duties as its members, explored here. Alternative forms of community consent should be actively pursued.