What is the difference between "active" and "passive" consent?

Active consent involves an individual giving explicit, informed permission for participation in research, typically through a written signature or affirmative verbal agreement. This process ensures that participants are fully aware of what they are consenting to, including details about the study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits. Active consent is crucial in research ethics as it reinforces the autonomy of the participant and requires clear, unambiguous agreement.

On the other hand, passive consent operates on the assumption that consent is granted unless the individual explicitly opts out or declines participation. This implies that if a participant does not respond or take action to refuse, they are considered to have consented to participate. Passive consent may be used in certain research contexts, particularly in situations where the risk to the participants is minimal, but it does not provide the same level of clarity and certainty regarding participant autonomy as active consent does.

The selected answer highlights this fundamental difference—active consent requires explicit agreement, while passive consent assumes agreement unless explicitly stated otherwise.