With the current advances in research biotechnology, many consent forms are becoming longer and increasingly complicated, despite good-faith efforts to simplify language and shorten forms.

Questions

1. Do you think research participants consider the informed consent document as a legal document or a way of knowing more about the study?

2. How can the consent form be documented to minimize legal risks while at the same time keeping it understandable by the research participants?

Regarding question number 1, I agree with that the research participant MAY consider informed consent as way of knowing more about the study but this if the investigator emphasizes this issue and not telling them just to sign, it also depends on the culture of the participant and his level of education. Considering it as a legal document may happen when a big problem issues from the research procedure but again this depends on the participant culture, education and surroundings (e.g. his physician….etc) who may direct him.

Regarding question number 2, IC is already not considered a legal document by laws and regulations as far as I know.

Waiting for your replies my friends