Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

How readable are subject consent forms?

G R Morrow

    JAMA
    |July 4, 1980
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Informed consent forms for cancer clinical trials are often too complex for patients to understand. This readability issue hinders a patient's ability to give truly informed consent for treatment.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Falls and functional impairments in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN): a University of Rochester CCOP study.

    Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2013
    Same author

    Oral antibiotic prophylaxis of early infection in multiple myeloma: a URCC/ECOG randomized phase III study.

    Leukemia·2012
    Same author

    The efficacy of calcitriol therapy in the management of bone loss and fractures: a qualitative review.

    Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA·2009
    Same author

    Associations between adult and childhood secondhand smoke exposures and fecundity and fetal loss among women who visited a cancer hospital.

    Tobacco control·2008
    Same author

    Post-treatment skin reactions reported by cancer patients differ by race, not by treatment or expectations.

    British journal of cancer·2007
    Same author

    The role of patients' expectations in the development of anticipatory nausea related to chemotherapy for cancer.

    Journal of pain and symptom management·2001
    Same journal

    Online Prescribing of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    Using AI Disagreement to Expose Gaps in Coverage Rules.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    Randomized Trials in Pregnancy.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    Randomized Trials in Pregnancy-Reply.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    WHO Issues Guidelines for Treating Ebola and Marburg Viruses.

    JAMA·2026
    Same journal

    FDA Approves Additional Naloxone Nasal Spray for Opioid Overdose.

    JAMA·2026
    See all related articles

    Area of Science:

    • Medical ethics
    • Health literacy
    • Clinical trial management

    Background:

    • Informed consent is crucial for ethical medical treatment and clinical research.
    • Patient understanding of consent forms is essential for autonomous decision-making.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To assess the readability and understandability of informed consent forms used in national cancer clinical trials.
    • To determine if patients can comprehend the information provided in these critical documents.

    Main Methods:

    • Applied two standard readability assessment techniques.
    • Analyzed 60 informed consent forms from five national cancer clinical trial groups.

    Main Results:

    • Informed consent forms were more difficult to comprehend than popular press materials but less difficult than medical journals.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Three out of four passages on treatment, procedures, discomforts, and risks required a college-level reading ability.
  • A significant portion of patients may not understand the documents they sign.

    • Conclusions:

    • Current informed consent documents may be too complex for many patients.
    • Regulations designed to ensure informed consent may inadvertently create barriers to patient understanding and cooperation.