Intro: This is Tanesha Nicole and it’s time for another Ask A Scientist. Today, I’m talking with Dr. Emily Limerick of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at NIH about the centerpiece of ethical research, informed consent.

TN: Dr. Limerick, what’s in the consent itself?

EL: It has all of the critical information for the participant to be aware of written in language that is plain, and accessible, and clear.

TN: And that protects trial volunteers?

EL: All the steps that are outlined in the informed consent document that patients review is everything that the team will do, and they're not allowed to do anything else.

TN: Why is this important? 

EL: You have a signed agreement that says everything that's allowed to be done and no more. Just because they give a sample once or participate in one clinical trial doesn't just then give the researchers license to do whatever they want in the future. 

Outro: For more information, visit nhlbi.nih.gov.