Improving Informed Consent: The Medium Is Not the Message

Patricia Agre, University of Pennsylvania
Frances A. Campbell, University of Pennsylvania
Barbara D. Goldman, University of Pennsylvania
Nancy Kass, University of Pennsylvania
Maria L. Boccia, University of Pennsylvania
Laurence B. McCullough, University of Pennsylvania
Jon F. Merz, University of Pennsylvania
Suzanne M. Miller, University of Pennsylvania
Jim Mintz, University of Pennsylvania
Bruce Rapkin, University of Pennsylvania
Jeremy Sugarman, University of Pennsylvania
James Sorenson, University of Pennsylvania
Donna Wirshing, University of Pennsylvania

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© The Hastings Center. Reprinted by Permission. This article originally appeared in IRB: Ethics and Human Research Special Supplement, Volume 25, Issue 5, September 2003, pages S11-S19.
Publisher URL: http://www.thehastingscenter.org/publications/irb/irb.asp

Abstract

An important type of research on informed consent involves empirically testing interventions designed to improve the consent process. Here we report on the experience of eight teams that conducted research involving interventions designed primarily to impact one of three categories: decision-making, knowledge, and the therapeutic misconception.