Informed consent

The RCN publication “Informed consent in health and social care research: RCN Guidance for nurses” (publication code 002 267) is in line with current information available to the RCN Research Society.

RCN Informed Consent Guidance (PDF, 1.4MB)

Recent guidance from other sources

Scottish Children's Research Network (2012), "Guidance: Obtaining informed consent for clinical research in children and young people under 16 in Scotland".

General Medical Council (2010), "Good practice in research and consent to research". The GMC guidance on consent to research provides a detailed overview of informed consent in research and includes a section on research involving children or young people.

Clinical Trials in Children and Young People. Youthhealthtalk is an online resource which enables young people, their family and friends, and professionals such as doctors and teachers to understand young people's experiences of health, illness and life in general.

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Teaching guide

Sue Allen, research nurse at the Primary Care Research Network, East of England (PCRN EoE), devised and implemented a DVD on informed consent on research. The RCN is pleased to publish an online version of this excellent teaching resource, to sit alongside the RCN publication on informed consent.

Play this video

With thanks to: Sue Allen PCRN research nurse – development , direction and script; Cassi Duffin, City College, Norwich – production and pre –production; Teele Killing, City College, Norwich – post production, editing and artwork; Heather Leishman – PCRN co-ordinator – actor; Libby Aitchison – lecturer CCN – actor; Isabel Schoppe – film voiceover. Primary Care Research Network, East of England (PCRn EoE); National Institute of Health Research (NIHR); NHS Norfolk and Waveney – Research and Development (R&D); City College, Norwich (CCN); Norfolk and Suffolk Comprehensive Local Research Network ( N&SCLRN); Innovations East

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RCN Informed Consent guidance - Bibliography

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Bryan, J. (2000). “Have you got the trials habit?” Cancer Services Insight January: 4-5.

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Freedman, B. (1990) ‘Cohort-specific consent: An honest approach to phase 1 clinical cancer studies’. IRB. 12: 5-7

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Llewellyn-Thomas, H. A.,McGreal, M J., Theil, E.C., Fine, S. & Erlichman, C. (1991). “Patients' willingness to enter clinical trials: measuring the association with perceived benefit and preference for decision participation.” Social Science and Medicine 32: 35-42.

Maslin-Prothero S E (2000) Factors affecting recruitment to breast cancer clinical trials: An examination of the British Association of Surgical Oncology II trial and the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study. Unpublished PhD thesis. Nottingham, University of Nottingham

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Taylor, KM, Feldstein, ML, Skeel, RT, Pandya, KJ, Ng, P. & Carbone, PP. (1994). “Fundamental dilemmas of the randomised clinical trial process: Results of a survey of the 1737 Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Investigators.” Journal of Clinical Oncology 12 (9): 1796-1805.

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Wilson, K. & Rose, K. (1998). “Patient recruitment and retention strategies in randomised controlled trials.” Nurse Researcher 6(1): 35-46.

Fawcett, J. & Downs, F. S. (1992) The Relationship of Theory and Research, 2nd edition, F. A. Davis Company, Philadelphia.

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Medical Research Council (1991) The Ethical Conduct of Research on the Mentally Incapacitated. London. Medical Research Council.

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Tait, T & Higginson, J (2000) ‘Partnerships and Power in Care’, in Bishop, V and Scott, I. (eds) Challenges in Clinical Practice, Palgrave, London.

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British Medical Association. Consent tool kit: Children and young people. London: British Medical Association, March, 2001.

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Dalla-Vorgia P. Mason S, Megone C et al. Overview of European legislation on informed consent for neonatal research. Archives of Disease in Childhood Fetal Neonatal Edition 2001;84:F70-F73.

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Tadd W The Helsinki Declaration: why all the fuss? Nursing Ethics 2000 Sep; 7 (5): 439-50.

Wager E, Tooley PJH, Emanuel MB, Wood SF, Get patients’ consent to enter clinical trials. British medical Journal. (1995) Sep 16; 311 (7007) 734-37.

World Medical Association (WMA) Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. Adopted by the 52nd WMA General Assembly, Edinburgh, Scotland, October 2000

Calman, K. & Hine, D. (1995) A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services. Department of Health.

Purandare, L. (1997) Attitudes to cancer may create a barrier to communication between patient and caregiver. European Journal

The Human Tissues Act 1961.

King EM-FO, Smith A, Jobst KA. Autopsy: consent, completion and communication in Alzheimer’s disease research. Age and Ageing 1993; 22: 209-214

Department of Health Guidelines to Local Research Ethics Committees (DOH 1991)

Royal College of Physicians, Guidelines on the Practice of Ethics Committees in Medical Research Involving Human Subjects, 3rd ed, London, 1996.

Royal College of Physicians, Guidelines on Research with Healthy Volunteers, London, 1986.

The British Paediatric Association, Guidelines for the Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Children, 1992.

R. Nicholson, “The Ethics of Research with Children” in M. Brazier and M. Lobjoit (eds.) Protecting the Vulnerable, London: Routledge, 1991.

Royal College of Psychiatrists, ‘Guidelines for Psychiatric Research Involving Human Subjects’ Psychiatric Bulletin 1990, 14, 48.

K. Fulford and K. Howse, “Ethics of research with psychiatric patients: principles, problems and the primary responsibilities of researchers” Journal of Medical Ethics 1993, 19, 85.