Dynamic consent and continuous consent

Long and highly detailed informed consent forms risk overwhelming or excluding prospective research participants. Introducing dynamic or continuous approaches to consent may mitigate these risks whilst also allowing participants to exert more control over their participation and choices in research. These consent models allow participants to withdraw consent for specific aspects of the trial rather than withdrawing consent to participate in the whole trial.

Dynamic consent allows participants to agree only to the specific aspects of the trial that they wish to, rather than providing a broad, overall consent. This approach acknowledges the right of the participant to change their mind as they move through the trial and provides them with more flexibility in how they engage with research. Care should be taken when using dynamic consent, however, as some trials may require consent and participation in previous stages of the trial to be eligible for later stages or subsequent sub studies. This model of consent may also be useful for research involving sub-studies and offering participants choice if their data can be used for these purposes.

Continuous or ongoing consent seeks consent to continue with the trial at regular intervals, particularly if new information becomes available. This approach ensures participants stay fully informed on trial progress and avoids researchers needing to re-consent participants in the event of changes to the trial.