The Human Research Ethics Committees – Standardised Participant Information and Consent Form (GL2025_019) guideline provides an updated framework for developing Participant Information and Consent Forms (PICFs) used across NSW public health organisations. It supports clear, respectful and easy-to-understand communication, helping participants make informed and voluntary decisions about taking part in research.
The InFORMed PICF template offers a flexible starting point for researchers to tailor their PICFs to the needs of their study and participants. It encourages plain language, better formatting and brevity, while allowing extra details to be shared through supplementary materials using a layered consent approach. This helps participants control how much information they access, reducing overwhelm and improving understanding.
NSW public health organisations are encouraged to apply the guideline and refer to the accompanying user guide for practical advice. Ethics committees are also encouraged to support flexible, risk-proportionate consent processes that give participants access to all relevant information.
Resources
NSW Health has endorsed the InFORMed PICF template, user guide, and withdrawal form to support a consistent, participant-centred approach to informed consent across research.
We provided in-kind support and assisted to develop resources collaboratively through the CT:IQ InFORMed Project.
Updated 2 weeks ago