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Not-so-Informed Consent
Mike Mitka
JAMA. 2001;286:3071.
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| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 149 words of the full text and any section headings. |
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Therapeutic misconceptions are common among patients even after they sign informed consent statements asserting that they fully comprehend the pros and cons of clinical trials, said Boston researchers in a study appearing in the November 24 issue of The Lancet.
In the study, which was conducted at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, 205 adult cancer patients who had recently enrolled in phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials in Boston completed questionnaires about their understanding of the studies.
The investigators found that 145 (71%) of respondents knew that they might not get any direct medical benefit from the trial, but just 77 (less than 40%) recognized that participation might carry additional risk or discomfort compared with standard therapies. In addition, 51 (25%) did not realize that clinical trials are conducted mainly to benefit future patients, not those involved in the trial.
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