Under the Belmont Report, Respect for Persons requires researchers to treat individuals as autonomous agents and to provide additional protections for those with diminished autonomy. Which statement is true?

Under the Belmont Report, Respect for Persons requires researchers to treat individuals as autonomous agents and to provide additional protections for those with diminished autonomy. Which statement is true?

• A. It requires no consent for minimal risk
• B. It requires treating participants as autonomous agents and providing additional protections for diminished autonomy
• C. It requires IRB waivers in all cases
• D. It requires only to minimize risks

Answer: (B)

Respect for Persons means treating people as autonomous agents and providing extra protections for those with diminished autonomy. In research this translates to obtaining informed consent from individuals who can decide for themselves, while also recognizing and safeguarding those whose ability to decide is limited (such as children or individuals with cognitive impairments) through additional protections and safeguards. This principle is best shown by stating that you must treat participants as autonomous agents and provide extra protections for those with diminished autonomy. The other ideas don’t capture the full obligation: consent is not optional for minimal risk and isn’t waived in all cases; waivers of consent are only allowed under specific, limited conditions. Minimizing risk is important, but that concern belongs to beneficence, not this principle.

Respect for Persons means treating people as autonomous agents and providing extra protections for those with diminished autonomy. In research this translates to obtaining informed consent from individuals who can decide for themselves, while also recognizing and safeguarding those whose ability to decide is limited (such as children or individuals with cognitive impairments) through additional protections and safeguards.

This principle is best shown by stating that you must treat participants as autonomous agents and provide extra protections for those with diminished autonomy. The other ideas don’t capture the full obligation: consent is not optional for minimal risk and isn’t waived in all cases; waivers of consent are only allowed under specific, limited conditions. Minimizing risk is important, but that concern belongs to beneficence, not this principle.