ABSTRACT
Informed consent is a basic procedure for protecting human participants in research. To be informed, the participants (or their guardians) must be told who is conducting the research and how the researchers can be contacted before, during, and after the research. Then, they need to be informed of the purpose of the research. Next, they should be informed of the benefits of the research as well as the possible risks. In addition, the participants should also be informed of any steps that will be taken to protect them from harm and to maintain confidentiality. Also, as a condition of their consent, participants need to be informed that they may withdraw at any point during the study without penalty. To avoid misunderstandings, the informed consent information normally should be presented in writing and signed by the participants, who should be given a copy to keep.3
