A physical therapy research study includes an informed consent document. Which statement would violate the validity of the consent?

• A. There is no compensation available from the facility should an injury occur.
• B. Participants must complete all the sessions outlined in the study in order to receive physical therapy services for their condition.
• C. Participants must contact their own primary care physician in case of injury.
• D. Participants may not begin any other new treatment program for the duration of the study.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that informed consent must be voluntary and not conditioned on participating in the study. People must be free to choose to enroll or withdraw without losing access to standard care or being forced to stay in the study.

Tying ongoing participation to receiving physical therapy services makes participation a condition for treatment. That creates coercion—patients might feel compelled to finish every session even if they’re uncomfortable or wish to stop—so the consent would not be truly voluntary. A valid consent allows withdrawal at any time and does not make continued study involvement a prerequisite for receiving care.

The other statements describe typical study disclosures or requirements that don’t inherently invalidate consent, as long as they’re clearly explained and not used to coerce participation.