Which statement best describes how consent should be documented?

• A. Through any form that can serve as evidence of consent and that complies with applicable legal requirements.
• B. Only through a signed consent form
• C. Only through a video recording of consent
• D. Only through a researcher's notes of a verbal consent

Answer: (A)

Consent must be documented in a way that can serve as verifiable evidence and complies with legal requirements. The best approach is flexible: use any form that can serve as evidence of consent and that meets applicable legal requirements. This recognizes that different studies, settings, and participants may require different documentation methods, and TCPS 2 allows multiple modalities—as long as the record clearly shows who gave consent, what they consented to, that they understood the information, that consent was voluntary, and that capacity and ongoing consent (including the right to withdraw) are addressed. Documentation should capture when and how consent was given and be stored securely to protect privacy and be available for verification if needed. Relying on a single modality, such as only a signed form, only a video recording, or only notes of a verbal consent, can miss important aspects or fail to meet legal or practical needs in certain contexts. Therefore, any appropriate, compliant form of documentation is preferred.