Informed Consent Issues in International Research Concerns

Abstract

The following is a brief discussion of some of the current guidance about informed consent in international collaborative research involving human participants as subjects. The primary thesis of this discussion is that the process of obtaining informed consent is based in the universal principle of respect for persons. Achieving respect for persons requires that those who seek consent be conscious of individuals' needs for information as well as for their ability to make voluntary, competent, and comprehending choices. To do so also requires that those who seek consent know the community milieu and the cultural context in which an individual potential subject derives meaning and understanding. Appropriately requesting informed consent may not be easy and certainly cannot be