Mr. Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines exist to ensure that patients are informed before beingincluded in any medical research; and if he will make a statement. [32544]Ms Jowell: Research which involves the examination or treatment of an individual performed in the absence of valid consent mayconstitute an offence against the person.The National Health Service has a well-established system of research ethics committees which give independent advice to NHS bodieson the ethical acceptability, including the procedures for obtaining consent, of research proposals involving NHS patients.The recruitment of research subjects and the issue of consent is referred to in HSG(91)5: Local Research Ethics Committees and theBriefing Pack for Research Ethics Committee Members, copies of which are available in the Library. In addition professional bodiesand others with an interest in carrying out research have produced their own guidelines.