Research in critically ill patients: standards of informed consent
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* Corresponding author: Catherine Chenaud catherine.chenaud@hcuge.ch
Service of Intensive Care, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Intensive Care, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Critical Care 2007, 11:110 doi:10.1186/cc5678
Published: 15 February 2007Abstract
Patients in critical care lose their capability to make a judgement, and constitute a 'vulnerable population' needing special and reinforced protection. Even if the standard of informed consent is an essential way of demonstrating respect for the patient's autonomy, the usual informed-consent procedure is not as applicable as required or sufficient to warrant this ethical principle in critical care.