Rationale

The IRB realizes that investigators cannot always anticipate when they will encounter non-English speaking individuals who may be eligible for a study.  If this situation occurs, it may not be possible to translate the informed consent document into a language the individual understands in a timely manner.  However, as outlined in The Belmont Report, to exclude such individuals from participating in a research study solely because they are unable to read, speak or understand English may not be an ethical practice in all cases.  Therefore, the IRB allows the use of a Short Form to obtain consent in specific instances, and for a limited number of subjects.