The principle of Respect for Persons in the Belmont Report centers on recognizing and honoring the autonomy of individuals, while providing protection for those with diminished autonomy. It has two key components:
- Acknowledging autonomy: treating competent individuals as autonomous agents capable of making voluntary, informed decisions about participation in research.
- Providing protection for those with diminished autonomy: offering additional safeguards for individuals who may have limited capacity to consent, to ensure their welfare is protected.
In practice, this leads to the requirement of informed voluntary consent, respect for privacy and confidentiality, and careful consideration of how to protect vulnerable populations in research participation decisions.
