Open AccessConsent in Critical Care Research
Author(s) -
Corina DeKraker,
Hasan Hawilo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
uwomj/medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2560-8274
pISSN - 0042-0336
DOI - 10.5206/uwomj.v89i2.10311
Subject(s) - generalizability theory , informed consent , clinical trial , medicine , process (computing) , clinical research , psychology , alternative medicine , computer science , developmental psychology , pathology , operating system
Informed consent plays an important role in critical care medicine (CCM) because patients are vulnerable so their rights must be carefully protected, and research in CCM may be associated with high risks of morbidity and mortality. However, the process of obtaining consent may be a significant barrier to CCM research. There is often limited time in which to make decisions, patients or substitute decision makers may not be able to make those decisions, and complex consent documents may be an additional barrier. This is an important issue, both because vulnerable patients should not be denied access to the benefits of research and because the loss of eligible patients from CCM clinical trials due to lack of consent could introduce bias and limit the generalizability of research. This article will explore why getting consent is challenging in CCM research, and how this can process could be improved.