RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perception of medical personnel and medical cadets toward informed consent obtained from potential research participants. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The authors conducted a study using self-administered questionnaires which included questions about perception on informed consent regarding its objectives, investigator's role, vulnerable subjects, family involvement and children's assent. The answer for each question was graded into 5 scales. RESULTS: A selection of 380, 30.5%, 37.6% and 31.8% of 669 were attending staff residents, and medical cadets, respectively. A total of 85.5% agreed that informed consent in therapeutic trials should be obtained by their own doctors. A total of 75.3% agreed that the primary objective of informed consent was to protect investigators from lawsuits. A total of 60.8% agreed that participant spouses had to be involved in the informed consent process. A total of 79.5% agreed that permission from children was necessary in research conducted in children. CONCLUSION: The role of investigators in therapeutic clinical trial, primary objectives of informed consent, and role of spouse were misunderstood among medical personnel and medical cadets. Education on research ethics should concentrate on these issues.