Study Purpose
Clearly describe objectives and why the participant is being invited. Avoid technical jargon and state the voluntary nature of participation to support informed decision making.
A well‑crafted consent protects participant autonomy, documents legal authorization, and supports IRB and regulatory compliance.
Typical signers and administrative users who interact with the consent form.
Roles above are often coordinated: investigators obtain consent, IRBs approve language, and sponsors retain signed records for audits.
Clearly describe objectives and why the participant is being invited. Avoid technical jargon and state the voluntary nature of participation to support informed decision making.
List procedures, visit schedule, and time commitments. Include what is routine care versus research procedures and note any use of placebos or randomization.
Explain reasonably foreseeable risks and potential benefits. Include both direct and indirect outcomes and alternative treatment options if applicable.
Describe how data will be stored, who will see it, HIPAA protections if PHI is used, and any plan for data sharing or future use of specimens.
State that participation is voluntary, that refusal won't affect care, and provide withdrawal procedures and consequences for data already collected.
Provide investigator, IRB, and emergency contact details so participants can obtain answers or report concerns at any time.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Authentication Level | Email link or SMS code; stronger MFA for sensitive studies |
| Required Fields | Make signature, date, and participant name mandatory |
| Conditional Logic | Show guardian fields when participant is a minor |
| Retention Settings | Enable audit trail and exportable PDF with metadata |
Choose a platform that supports secure authentication, audit trails, and HIPAA controls when PHI is involved.
Consent must be documented before any study procedures not part of standard care
Provide signed copy at or shortly after signing
Use the IRB‑approved consent version current at enrollment
Honor withdrawal requests promptly and document the effective date
Report consent‑related serious issues per IRB and sponsor timelines
IRB approves consent language and version control is locked.
Participant signs consent and enrollment is recorded.
Monitor consent compliance and report deviations to IRB.
Move signed consents to secure long‑term storage per record retention policy.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | 7-day trial | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor | Varies by vendor |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |