Informed Consent Policy

For studies involving human participants, authors are responsible for including a statement that the studies have been approved by the appropriate institutional or national research ethics committee and have been performed by the ethical standards noted in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

For studies involving experiments on animals, authors should indicate whether the institutional and national standards for the care and use of laboratory animals were followed appropriately.

Emerging Infectious Diseases follows the ICMJE recommendations for the Protection of Research Participants and reserves the right to request that authors provide documentation from the review board or ethics committee confirming approval of the research. 

The informed consent process involves three key features: 

1.Disclosing to potential research x`subjects’ information needed to make an informed decision; 

2. Facilitating the understanding of what has been disclosed; 

3. Promoting the voluntariness of the decision about whether or not to participate in the research. Informed consent must be legally effective and prospectively obtained. 

For most research, informed consent is documented using a written document that provides key information regarding the research. The consent form is intended, in part, to provide information for the potential subject’s current and future reference and to document the interaction between the subject and the investigator. However, even if a signed consent form is required, it alone does not constitute an adequate consent process. The informed consent process is an ongoing exchange of information between the investigator and the subject and could include, for example, the use of question-and-answer sessions, community meetings, and videotape presentations. In all circumstances, however, individuals should be provided with an opportunity to have their questions and concerns addressed on an individual basis.