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GUIDANCE DOCUMENT

Use of Electronic Informed Consent in Clinical Investigations – Questions and Answers Guidance for Institutional Review Boards, Investigators, and Sponsors December 2016

Download the Final Guidance Document Read the Federal Register Notice
Final
Docket Number:
FDA-2015-D-0390
Issued by:
Guidance Issuing Office
Office of the Commissioner, Office of Clinical Policy and Programs, Office of Clinical Policy, Office of Good Clinical Practice
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

This guidance has been prepared jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  This guidance is intended for institutional review boards (IRBs), investigators, and sponsors engaged in or responsible for oversight of human subject research under HHS and/or FDA regulations. 

This guidance provides recommendations on the use of electronic systems and processes that may employ multiple electronic media to obtain informed consent for both HHS-regulated human subject research and FDA-regulated clinical investigations of medical products, including human drug and biological products, medical devices, and combinations thereof.  FDA’s requirements for electronic records/electronic signatures, informed consent, and IRBs are set forth in 21 CFR parts 11, 50, and 56, respectively. HHS requirements regarding the protection of human subjects are set forth in 45 CFR part 46.  The information presented to the subject, processes used for obtaining informed consent, and documentation of the electronic informed consent (eIC) must meet the requirements of these and other applicable regulations.

Submit Comments

Submit Comments Online

You can submit online or written comments on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5))

If unable to submit comments online, please mail written comments to:

Dockets Management
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Rm 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

All written comments should be identified with this document's docket number: FDA-2015-D-0390.

 
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