7.15 Coercion? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regulations for informed consent state that “An investigator shall seek such consent only under circumstances that provide the prospective subject or the representative sufficient opportunity to consider whether or not to participate and that minimize the possibility of coercion or undue influence.” Coercion occurs when an overt or implicit threat of harm is intentionally presented by one person to another in order to obtain compliance. Which of the following circumstances do you believe constitutes coercion? Discuss.
(a) An investigator tells a prospective subject that she or he will lose access to needed health services if she or he does not participate in the research.
(b) An employer asks employees to participate in a research study. Although the employer has assured employees that participation is voluntary, several employees are concerned that a decision not to participate could affect performance evaluations or job advancement.