Informed Consent

Informed consent is the ongoing process by which doctors communicate to patients the risks and potential benefits of participating in a clinical trial. Designed to protect patients, the informed consent process usually consists of a document and a series of conversations that provide enough information for a patient to fully understand these risks and potential benefits, as well as alternatives to the trial. Through informed consent patients understand the purpose of the trial, how it will work, and what their role will be within it.