The individual's right to informed consent

Every individual has the right to informed consent before becoming a human subject in research ( 1 ). As is the case with all other rights that individuals have, one would find it very difficult to justify any denial of the right to informed consent. Behi and Nolan ( 2 ) have stated that problems and uncertainties arise, however, because of the difficulty 'in defining what is informed consent and in knowing when one can claim it has genuinely been given and achieved.' Nurse researchers should understand and be aware of the issues that face them when seeking informed consent so that they are in a position to achieve genuine consent. This article will consider these issues in detail, but not the legal aspects of informed consent which is a major topic in its own right.