Informed Consent to Biomedical Research in Veterans Administration Hospitals

Abstract

Patients and physicians involved in research projects in four Veterans Administration hospitals were interviewed about their experiences with informed consent. Results showed that most patients knew that they were research subjects, had voluntarily consented, and knew details of their medical treatment, but few understood the research well. The nature of the consent forms, the person explaining the research and the manner of explanation, and, in some cases, the degree of illness were factors affecting subjects' awareness. (KIE abstract)