In research ethics, which principle emphasizes respecting an individual's right to decide whether to participate or withdraw from a study?

• A. Beneficence
• B. Justice
• C. Autonomy
• D. Nonmaleficence

Answer: (C)

Autonomy is the principle that emphasizes respecting an individual's right to decide whether to participate or withdraw from a study. It centers on self-determination, requiring informed consent, voluntary participation, and the freedom to withdraw at any time without penalty. This protection ensures people control what happens to their own bodies and information, safeguarding them from coercion.

Beneficence and nonmaleficence focus on maximizing benefits and minimizing harms, while justice concerns fair distribution of research burdens and benefits. They’re essential to ethics, but they don’t directly address the individual's ongoing right to choose participation or withdrawal in a study.