La. Admin. Code tit. 46 § LX-4713

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section LX-4713 - Responsibility to Research Participants

A. Investigators respect the dignity and protect the welfare of research participants, and are aware of applicable laws and regulations and professional standards governing the conduct of research.

B. Investigators are responsible for making careful examinations of ethical acceptability in planning studies. To the extent that services to research participants may be compromised by participation in research, investigators seek the ethical advice of qualified professionals not directly involved in the investigation and observe safeguards to protect the rights of research participants.

C. Investigators requesting participant involvement in research inform participants of the aspects of the research that might reasonably be expected to influence willingness to participate. Investigators are especially sensitive to the possibility of diminished consent when participants are also receiving clinical services, or have impairments which limit understanding and/or communication, or when participants are children.

D. Investigators respect each participant's freedom to decline participation in or to withdraw from a research study at any time. This obligation requires special thought and consideration when investigators or other members of the research team are in positions of authority or influence over participants. Licensees, therefore, make every effort to avoid multiple relationships with research participants that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation.

E. Information obtained about a research participant during the course of an investigation is confidential unless there is a waiver previously obtained in writing. When the possibility exists that others, including family members, may obtain access to such information, this possibility, together with the plan for protecting confidentiality, is explained as part of the procedure for obtaining informed consent.

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LX-4713

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, LR 29:170 (February 2003), Amended by LR 41757 (4/1/2015).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1101-1123.