Zusammenfassung

Informed consent is a vital step to any research project. It is the process in which a patient/participant consents to participate in a research project after being in- formed of its procedures, risks, and benefits (Bulger, 2002)[3]. Ideally, after fully comprehending the information about the project, the patient/participant gives full and conscious consent for the physician/scientist to continue with the proce- dure. There are many ethical issues that are entwined with the informed consent process. In order to fully appreciate the importance of this process, the history that led to its inclusion in research projects must be understood. Although in- formed consent is designed to make sure that a participant fully understands the procedures, benefits, and risks involved in an experiment, it is not without its flaws in its practical application. There are many covert communication barriers between participants and researchers that lead to misunderstandings. This pre- vents participants from making the fully autonomous decisions sought for in the informed consent process. Some of those barriers are related to cultural aspects such as language differences and religious dogma. Others are related to the faith that participants have in science such as false expectations. Having awareness of these types of barriers is crucial for both researchers and participants. Mis- understandings concerning the experimental procedures can lead participants to get involved in research projects that they dont approve of. Finding themselves in this situation can have great effects on the psychological and physical well- being of participants. For this reason, it is ethical for researchers to account and correct for the misunderstandings in the informed consent process. This would ensure that participants are treated according to the ethical standards set by the Belmont Report.