Exception from Informed Consent Requirements for Human Subjects in Emergency Medicine Research

Laura J. Sanger, University of Houston - Main

Abstract

Research involving emergency care can present special issues with regards to obtaining informed consent. An emergency research subject may be considered a candidate for an emergency research under circumstances in which traditional informed consent can not be obtained before the therapeutic window for the research closes. In these cases there may be an exception for emergency research enrollment that waives traditional informed consent for participation in research. As informed consent forms a foundation for medical research studies, this waiver is predicated on very specific criteria. This paper explores the historical background for informed consent, the criteria for obtaining the waiver of informed consent for emergency research, and examines the philosophy attendant to the waiver.