Which statement about broad consent is correct?

• A. Blanket consent and broad consent can be used interchangeably.
• B. Broad consent requires the researcher to directly contact participants when future research is conducted.
• C. Broad consent is sought prior to data collection.
• D. Only the researcher is responsible for ensuring that the terms of participant consent are respected when data is stored in a repository.

Answer: (C)

Broad consent is given at the time data or samples are collected to authorize their future, unspecified use in research under a governance framework. This means participants are informed about potential future studies, how the data will be stored and shared, and the protections in place, with ongoing oversight by ethics boards and data access controls. Because consent is obtained before collection and tied to a described governance plan for future use, this option correctly captures how broad consent works under TCPS 2.

Other statements don’t fit because broad consent is not simply blanket permission without safeguards, nor does it require researchers to contact participants for every future project; future use is governed and approved through oversight mechanisms. Responsibility for upholding consent terms also involves the institution and governance bodies, not just the individual researcher.