My 2 cents - Regardless if the researcher spends a lot of effort in collecting data, the participant has the right to say “I do not wish for my data to be used”. They maintain some ownership of the data, which of course should be removed from the analysis before results are published.

Tim

--------------------------

P Please consider the environment before printing this email and any attachments.

Timothy Sparklin, MSW, CIM, CIP
Human and Animal Research Protections Office

University of Maryland, Baltimore County
410-455-2737 410-455-3868 (fax)
www.umbc.edu/research/HARPO

horiz

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Katherine Tragos
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2010 12:15 PM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] IRB Clarification: "withdraw at anytime"

I signed one of those. And “anytime” meant “anytime” – as long is that is how it was written. I would receive no compensation though – in the fine print, partial or otherwise.

It is a risk the researchers take.

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of JCU Director of Sponsored Research
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2010 10:37 AM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: [RESADM-L] IRB Clarification: "withdraw at anytime"

Can anyone provide clarification as to what is meant by the phrase “you can withdraw at any time” on a social science study consent form?

Does it mean at any time up until data collection? Data analysis? Publication?

Can a participant withdraw consent after a lengthy (and perhaps expensive) data collection and analysis if he/she doesn’t like the results of the study?

I thought “at any time” meant “at any time” but a researcher believes it to be at any time up until the data is collected. It does seem wasteful to expend much effort into collecting data if a participant can pull out of the study after all the work has been done.

Advice?

Cathy

Catherine T. Anson, MA, CRA, CIM

Director of Sponsored Research

John Carroll University, AD 250

University Heights, OH 44118-4581

TEL: 216-397-4520 | FAX: 216-397-3089

xxxxxx@jcu.edu | http://www.jcu.edu/research

LinkedIn Profile

For info on submitting grant & fellowship proposals,

see: http://www.jcu.edu/research/submit.htm

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