Affiliation:
1. Director of translational bioethics at the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). He serves as contributing editor for the Ethics in Translational Research series and wrote this essay before assuming his position at UCI.
Abstract
ABSTRACTChatbots have become increasingly common in diverse settings as a substitute for human conversation. They are being developed and tested for obtaining informed consent for research. An initial study indicated that chatbots saved time and were successful in knowledge transfer, but the informed consent process serves other purposes, such as building trust and respecting the autonomy and dignity of potential research participants. Additional research and possible regulation are necessary before chatbots should be routinely used in health research.
Funder
National Center for Research Resources
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences