Perception of Medical Personnel on Informed Consent for Research Participation in Phramongkutklao Hospital and Phramongkutklao College of Medicine
Detchvijitr Suwanpakdee MD*, Sangkae Chamnanvanakij MD, MSc*, Suthee Panichkul MD, MSc**
Affiliation : * Department of Pediatrics, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok ** Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok
Objective : To evaluate the perception of medical personnel and medical cadets toward informed consent
obtained from potential research participants.
Material and Method: The authors conducted a study using self-administered questionnaires which included
questions about perception on informed consent regarding its objectives, investigator’s role, vulnerable
subjects, family involvement and children’s assent. The answer for each question was graded into 5 scales.
Results : A selection of 380, 30.5%, 37.6% and 31.8% of 669 were attending staff, residents, and medical
cadets, respectively. A total of 85.5% agreed that informed consent in therapeutic trials should be obtained by
their own doctors. A total of 75.3% agreed that the primary objective of informed consent was to protect
investigators from lawsuits. A total of 60.8% agreed that participant spouses had to be involved in the
informed consent process. A total of 79.5% agreed that permission from children was necessary in research
conducted in children.
Conclusion : The role of investigators in therapeutic clinical trial, primary objectives of informed consent, and
role of spouse were misunderstood among medical personnel and medical cadets. Education on research
ethics should concentrate on these issues.
Keywords : Perception, Informed consent, Research participant, Medical personnel
