Which statement is true about informed consent?

The correct statement regarding informed consent is that the consent form must be written at an eighth-grade level. This requirement emphasizes the need for clarity and comprehensibility; informed consent is meant to ensure that participants fully understand what they are agreeing to. By using language appropriate to an eighth-grade reading level, researchers increase the likelihood that potential participants will grasp the essential information about the study, including its purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits.

This approach aligns with ethical research practices, as it prioritizes the autonomy of individuals in the decision-making process. It acknowledges varying levels of literacy among participants, ensuring that consent is truly informed.

Other statements do not encompass universally applicable standards for informed consent. While having a translated consent form can be important for populations that speak different languages, it is not a strict requirement that it be printed in multiple languages for all studies. Anonymizing data can allow researchers to use it without consent in some contexts, but ethical guidelines typically still advocate for obtaining consent whenever possible. Additionally, requiring the presence of a lawyer during the signing of the consent form is not a common practice and can hinder the process of obtaining consent in research settings.