Which of the following is NOT a component of informed consent?

Informed consent is a fundamental ethical principle in research involving human subjects and requires that participants fully understand the study they are considering joining. An essential part of informed consent includes clearly communicating the purpose of the study, providing contact information for researchers, and assuring participants about the confidentiality of their responses.

The presence of a guarantee of positive results is not a legitimate component of informed consent. This is because research inherently involves uncertainty, and participants need to be aware that outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Promising positive results would mislead participants about the study's nature and purpose, undermining their ability to make an informed decision.

Including accurate information about the study's purpose ensures that participants know what they are signing up for, and contact information allows them to ask questions or express concerns. Confidentiality assurances help alleviate worries about the privacy of their data. Thus, the notion of guaranteeing positive outcomes stands as a fundamental misunderstanding of the research process and is not included within the bounds of ethical informed consent.