Legal, Ethical and Organizational Aspects (Professional Behaviours) — Patient | Ethics | MCCQE1 Q#13599

MCCQE1 Question #13599

Dimension of Care

Health Promotion & Illness Prevention

Activity

Professional Behaviours

Objective

Legal, Ethical and Organizational Aspects

Section

Public Health / Ethics / Legal / Organizational (PHELO/PMCH)

Subject

Ethics

Last updated: February 2026
A university-affiliated hospital is running a randomized clinical trial of a new medication for chronic pain. After enrollment begins, an audit finds that participants were asked to sign a brief form that did not clearly explain the study purpose, alternatives to participation, or reasonably foreseeable risks and side effects. Several participants report they did not understand they could refuse or withdraw without affecting their clinical care. Which principle of research ethics is primarily being violated?
Full answer analysis and choices are available inside the practice session.