Experimental Subjects Bill of Rights

Persons who participate in a medical experiment are entitled to certain rights. These rights include but are not limited to the subject's right to:

  • be informed of the nature and purpose of the experiment;
  • be given an explanation of the procedures to be followed in the medical experiment, and any drug or device to be utilized;
  • be given a description of any attendant discomforts and risks reasonably to be expected;
  • be given an explanation of any benefits to the subject reasonably to be expected, if applicable;
  • be given disclosure of any appropriate alternatives, drugs or devices that might be advantageous to the subject, their relative risks and benefits;
  • be informed of the avenues of medical treatment, if any, available to the subject after the experiment if complications should arise;
  • be given an opportunity to ask questions concerning the experiment or the procedures involved;
  • be instructed that consent to participate in the medical experiment may be withdrawn at any time and the subject may discontinue participation without prejudice;
  • be given a copy of the signed and dated consent form; be given the opportunity to decide to consent or not to consent to a medical experiment without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, coercion or undue influence on the subject's decision.

If you have any questions about your rights as a research subject, you may contact:

Administrative Panel on Human Subjects in Medical Research
Administrative Panels Office
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-5401
(650) 723-5244 or 1-866-680-2906.

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