Which Belmont Report principle is most closely associated with respecting individuals' autonomy and obtaining informed consent?

• A. Respect for persons; beneficence; justice.
• B. Beneficence; justice; privacy.
• C. Autonomy; consent; privacy.
• D. Nonmaleficence; fidelity; justice.

Answer: (A)

Respect for persons is the Belmont Report principle that directly covers autonomy and informed consent. It treats individuals as autonomous agents and protects those with diminished autonomy, using informed consent as the practical means to honor that autonomy in research participation. Beneficence and justice address maximizing benefits and fair distribution, not autonomy; privacy isn’t one of the Belmont principles, and autonomy and consent are aspects of respect for persons rather than separate principles.