Informed consent is commonly viewed as a necessary but insufficient condition for permissible research where human beings are involved. It is necessary in order to ensure that people do not participate in research against their will. It is insufficient because people should not participate in research projects that do not pass the scrutiny of research ethics committees (ascertaining, in addition to participants’ consent, that they are not exposed to great risks of harm, do not participate in projects with low scientific value etc.) even if they would accept to participate in such research.