Your Choice: Opting Out of Emergency Research
Participation in research is a personal choice. If you do not want to participate in an emergency research study conducted under Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC), we respect that decision and will make every reasonable effort to ensure that your wishes are honored.
Exception from Informed Consent allows certain emergency studies to enroll patients who are experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency and are unable to provide consent at the time treatment must begin. EFIC research is subject to strict federal requirements and additional protections for research participants.
We recognize that some people may not want to participate in research under these circumstances. You have the opportunity to tell us that you do not want to be enrolled.
How Can I Opt Out?
For EFIC studies conducted at UAB, we provide mechanisms for members of our community to communicate that they do not wish to participate.
One important mechanism is an Opt Out of Research bracelet. If you request to opt out, we can provide you with a silicone bracelet indicating that you do not wish to be enrolled in applicable emergency research.
If you are wearing an opt-out bracelet when you arrive for emergency treatment, the research team will make every reasonable effort to identify the bracelet and respect your decision not to participate.
You can request an opt-out bracelet by:
- Contacting the UAB Center for Injury Science at (205) 996-4700 or cis@uabmc.edu
- Visiting the Center for Injury Science office at Suite 710, Lyons-Harrison Faculty Office Tower, 510 20th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233
There is no charge for an opt-out bracelet.
We Respect Your Decision
Choosing not to participate in research will not affect the medical care you receive at UAB.
Your physicians and other healthcare professionals will continue to provide the emergency treatments they believe are appropriate for your condition. An opt-out decision applies to participation in the research study; it does not mean that clinically indicated treatments will be withheld.
You do not need to provide a reason for choosing to opt out, and you can contact us if you have questions about what opting out means.
Why Is a Bracelet Used?
Emergency research presents an unusual challenge. Unlike most clinical research, investigators generally cannot identify in advance who will experience the medical emergency being studied.
An opt-out bracelet provides a visible way of communicating your wishes if you later experience such an emergency and are unable to communicate for yourself.
We encourage anyone who has requested to opt out to wear the bracelet consistently for as long as the relevant study is enrolling participants.
What If My Bracelet Is Not Seen?
We want to be transparent about the limitations of any opt-out system. Emergency situations can be fast-moving, and patients may arrive unconscious, severely injured, or without personal belongings. Although our research and clinical teams make every reasonable effort to identify an opt-out bracelet, we cannot guarantee that a bracelet will always be present or recognized before an emergency research intervention must occur.
This limitation does not change our commitment to respecting your wishes.
If we learn that someone who previously requested to opt out was enrolled despite that request, the research team will follow the procedures approved for that particular study and its Institutional Review Board. These procedures may include discontinuing further research participation and, where permitted by the study protocol and applicable regulatory requirements, not using or destroying research information that was collected.
Because regulatory requirements can differ among studies, the research team will explain exactly what applies to the study concerned.
Opting Out of a Specific Study
Some EFIC studies use study-specific opt-out procedures or bracelets. Information about opting out of an individual study will be provided on that study's website and as part of its community consultation and public disclosure activities.
If you are uncertain which study applies to you—or simply want to tell us that you do not wish to participate in emergency research—please contact us. We will help you understand the available options.
Questions or Concerns?
We welcome questions about EFIC research, participation, and opting out.
UAB Center for Injury Science
Suite 710, Lyons-Harrison Faculty Office Tower
510 20th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Phone: (205) 996-4700
Email: cis@uabmc.edu
You are also welcome to contact us simply to learn more before deciding whether you wish to opt out.
Your views matter. Your decision matters. We will respect your choice.