Which Belmont Report principle emphasizes informed consent and treating individuals as autonomous agents?

• A. Respect for Persons
• B. Beneficence
• C. Justice
• D. Nonmaleficence

Answer: (A)

Protection of individual autonomy in research is the focus. Respect for Persons in the Belmont Report means recognizing that people are autonomous agents and should be treated accordingly, with special protections for those who may not be fully autonomous. Informed consent is the practical expression of this principle: participants receive clear information about the study, understand it, and voluntarily agree to participate, with the freedom to withdraw at any time. This emphasis on voluntary, informed participation is what makes it the best fit.

Beneficence is about maximizing benefits and minimizing harms, but it does not mandate how consent is obtained or who can participate. Justice concerns fair distribution of risks and benefits across groups. Nonmaleficence is the obligation to do no harm, but in the Belmont framework the emphasis on consent and autonomy is captured by Respect for Persons rather than Nonmaleficence.