Informed consent: the intricacies.

摘要: Should the BMJ reject all studies that do not include informed consent? That's a simple question, and surely answer should be equally simple–“Yes.” Unfortunately, ethical questions rarely allow answers, we want help with answering this one. This issue includes cluster of material relates to question. We publish material–including two in which consent was sought–to encourage debate arrive at deeper understanding if answer. Medical journals must consider aspects they publish, medical editors are presented issues just as often doctors–that is, every day. Almost everything doctors has an aspect. However, paper published last month JAMA shows many give their authors clear guidance.1 A survey instructions 102 major English language biomedical showed quarter did any guidance on human research ethics, only half required approval by ethics committee or institutional review board before publication. An accompanying editorial looked 53 consecutive papers Annals Internal Medicine , Lancet New England Journal .2 The found 47% record 58% board. Importantly, six judged there compelling need for yet where no mention either. These data supported study that, 586 interventional four geriatrics journals, 54% included 40% …