What is "active consent" in the context of research?

Active consent refers to a process in research where participants are required to take explicit action to indicate their agreement to participate in a study. This typically involves signing a consent form that clearly outlines the nature of the study, what participation involves, and any potential risks or benefits. The concept emphasizes that participants must be actively engaged in the decision-making process rather than having their consent inferred through their mere presence or passive agreement.

In contrast, some forms of consent, such as implied consent, may occur when consent is assumed based on a participant's actions or absence of objection, but this does not meet the standard of active consent. Likewise, consent that is deemed valid for all future studies (which is not necessarily true since consent should often be study-specific) or obtained solely through verbal agreement lacks the explicitness and documentation that active consent entails. Therefore, the requirement for an explicit action, like signing a form, is crucial to ensure that participants are fully informed and voluntarily agree to participate in the research.