Free and Informed Consent and the Law

The ethical obligation to secure free and informed consent for participation in human research is also entrenched in law. It is found in a variety of pertinent sources, including the common law, the civil law of Quebec, privacy laws, and diverse federal and provincial statutes, regulations and contexts. For instance, some provinces have legislation relevant to health research involving humans who lack the capacity to consent for themselves. The person who authorizes consent on behalf of another person is usually known as the authorized representative.