How does TCPS 2 define Respect for Persons?

• A. Beneficence toward all participants.
• B. Right to withdraw only if participation is harmful.
• C. Privacy controls by researchers.
• D. Autonomy for capable individuals and protection for those with diminished autonomy, ensuring voluntary informed consent.

Answer: (D)

Respect for Persons in TCPS 2 means recognizing the inherent autonomy of individuals and providing additional protection for those with diminished autonomy, with a clear emphasis on voluntary informed consent. This means capable individuals should be treated as autonomous agents who can decide whether to participate, based on information they understand. For people who lack full autonomy—such as children, individuals with cognitive impairments, or other vulnerable groups—the researcher must provide safeguards to protect their interests and ensure any participation is appropriate and voluntary. Informed consent is central: participants must be given sufficient information about the study, understand it, decide voluntarily without coercion or undue influence, and be allowed to withdraw at any time without penalty. While beneficence and privacy are important ethical considerations in research, they do not define Respect for Persons in the same way; the core focus is on autonomy and protection with a consent process that respects the person.