Ethical Considerations in Research Flashcards

Which element is NOT a required part of a valid informed consent form for a sensory study?

Answer: The expected statistical outcome of the study

Consent must describe procedures, risks, benefits, and voluntariness, not predicted results.

A company wants employees to serve on an in-house panel. What is the main ethical concern?

Answer: Possible coercion due to the employer-employee relationship

Workplace hierarchy can create undue pressure, so participation must be clearly voluntary without job consequences.

When testing products with children aged 8-12, what consent is generally required?

Answer: Parental permission plus the child's assent

Minors cannot legally consent, so parental permission and age-appropriate child assent are required.

An incentive so large that participants ignore potential risks is an example of what?

Answer: Undue influence

Excessive payment can compromise voluntary, informed decision-making.

A home-use test requires participants to use a new skin lotion for two weeks. What ethical safeguard is most important?

Answer: A patch or safety screen and a way to report adverse reactions

Extended exposure requires safety screening and a clear adverse event reporting pathway.

What is the role of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in sensory research?

Answer: Reviewing protocols to protect participants' rights and welfare

IRBs evaluate risk, consent, and fairness to protect human participants.

A participant discloses they are pregnant during screening for a test involving a high-caffeine beverage. What is the appropriate action?

Answer: Exclude or reassign them based on the study's safety criteria

Exclusion criteria protect vulnerable participants from foreseeable risks.