Eligibility Screening for the NIH Intramural Research Program Clinical Protocols

The purpose of this protocol is to provide patients with adequate informed consent to understand that screening tests with minimal health risk will be performed to evaluate their eligibility for a research study. The protocol makes it clear that patients initial visit to the intramural clinical program may include screening studies that are not medically necessary for disease management, but are done purely for research purposes.

Patients with a known or suspected diagnosis of cancer, HIV infection, skin disorder or immunodeficiency who are being considered for enrollment in a National Cancer Institute intramural clinical research protocol will participate in this consent protocol. It informs patients of screening tests and procedures involving minimal risk that are done for research purposes only, including blood tests, electrocardiogram, standard X-rays (e.g., chest X-ray), bone films, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear medicine studies. It explains that other eligibility screens that are more invasive and involve greater risk, such as a biopsy, will require separate consent.

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