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

The key difference between active and passive consent lies in the requirement for participants to explicitly affirm their willingness to participate in a study. Active consent involves obtaining a clear, affirmative response, which can include verbal agreement, written consent, or an identifiable action indicating the participant's choice to engage in the research. This ensures that participants are fully informed about what they are consenting to and are voluntarily agreeing to participate.

In contrast, passive consent typically involves a situation where consent is implied unless a participant explicitly opts out, such as failing to respond to a consent request or not taking action to withdraw. This can raise ethical concerns because individuals may not fully understand or appreciate that their lack of response is considered consent.

Therefore, the requirement for explicit affirmation in active consent makes it a more robust and transparent approach to obtaining permission for participation, reinforcing ethical considerations in research practices.