English translation: service or payment to which you are entitled
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English to English translations [PRO] Medical - Medical (general) / clinical trial
English term or phrase:benefits
You may withdraw from the study at any time without anyone objecting and without penalty or loss of any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled
[what is exactly meant here by the ambiguous word 'benefit': 1. something that is advantageous or good; an advantage, or 2. a payment or gift, as one made to help someone or given by a benefit society, insurance company, or public agency?
Explanation: The term "benefit" is frequently used to indicate services or monetary compensation to which someone is entitled, as in "benefits that come with the job," or 'salary and benefits." Benefits, in the context of health care, can also refer to discounts or even no fee servies -- not merely access to medical care per se.
The following from a US govt - NIH website uses the language of your text and a simple language explanation which I think is very useful in this context.
Voluntary Participation
NIH GUIDELINES: "The subjects should be informed that participation in the study is voluntary and that failure to participate in the study or withdrawal of consent will not result in any penalty or loss of benefits to which the subjects are otherwise entitled."
SAMPLE LANGUAGE
Sample 1
You do not have to be in this study. You can say no. If you join the study, you can leave it at any time. If you choose not to participate, there will be no penalties, and no bad effects on any benefits or medical care that you are entitled to get from this hospital or from your health care providers. If you leave the study, please tell the investigator or research coordinator. Then we will ask you to come back to the clinic for a final assessment and discussion of future treatment options.
The key phrase, I think, is "any benefit or medical care ... from your health care provider"
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2011-08-11 11:45:59 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I am not sure how to edit my answer, but it were better said, service, payment, or discount on service fee. With US healthcare providers one of the benefits is that certain types of medical procedures will be provided at no cost to the patient -- these are usually certain preventitive testing procedures like mamograms and colonoscopies.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 hrs (2011-08-11 11:52:39 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
This example from a template provided by Columbia University also gives a further explanation of this standard phrase. You may find the whole document useful:
OTHER INFORMATION
[State whether data will be confidential (linked to identifiers) or anonymous (no links). If data will be linked to identifiers, please state who will have access to identifiable data. Describe how the data will be used and how long they will be retained. State that subjects may refuse to participate or may withdraw from the study at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which they are otherwise entitled. Include a description of inducements (money, service, course credit) subjects may receive for participation.]
The key issue here, IMHO, is that it says 'entitled to' — now some benefits you might get, perhaps incidentally, but there are really only certain benefits to which one could say someone is 'entitled'.
It's important not to simply overlook this subtlety of the EN language.
I think it is important to keep in mind that the current English language use of this term, as used in this standard language/phrase for these types of clinical studies does refer to things that the participant is entitled to. It does not mean benefit in the sense of this will benefit you -- this will be good for - this will help you. It does refer to "benefits" which can be money, can be services, can be information, can be access or something else along those lines.
I wouldn't say that because, as Liz and Tony have said, we don't know what it includes; it could also include payments. Only the answerer can find out by carefully reading the rest of the document.
Benefits in a clinical trial is just a term used in the patient information or consent form to cover anything, either material or psychological It could be as simple as getting information about self-care, or getting regular visits or phone calls. Think for example of a trial of an antidepressant, simply participating and learning more about depression, its causes and possible treatments may be a benefit.
It's not possible to tell exactly what sort of 'benefits' these might be without knowing the context in which this document occurs; however, from a purely linguistic point of view, I agree to some extent with Michael, that the use of 'entitled to' points to material benefits (your suggestion #2), rather than 'beneficial results' (as in your suggestion #1).
if colleagues would but read my postings carefully is that the"benefit" here is not produced spontaneously but rather given under an entitlement which necessarily makes it of a material nature. It is unimportant whether the reference is to a monetary benefit or a benefit in kind (like medical care).
We need to know more about the terms of taking someone on for the study in order to be able to see what "benefits" might mean - it could be something for unemployed people on social benefits, or people could be paid a certain amount just for starting to take part ...
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
19 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): -1
something of a material nature
Explanation: Something of a material nature or some compensation. Judging by the context, it is unlikely that this is some situational benefit, such as an improvement in the general state of health.
Michael Tovbin United States Local time: 21:05 Native speaker of: English, Russian
Explanation: This is a clinical trial informed consent form, right? So, they're definitely referring to medical care to which one is entitled. Even if the patient withdraws from the study, he/she will not be disadvantaged, i.e. will still receive all the necessary medical care.
I've translated many ICON forms.
lirka Local time: 22:05 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English, Slovenian PRO pts in category: 36
4 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +3
service or payment to which you are entitled
Explanation: The term "benefit" is frequently used to indicate services or monetary compensation to which someone is entitled, as in "benefits that come with the job," or 'salary and benefits." Benefits, in the context of health care, can also refer to discounts or even no fee servies -- not merely access to medical care per se.
The following from a US govt - NIH website uses the language of your text and a simple language explanation which I think is very useful in this context.
Voluntary Participation
NIH GUIDELINES: "The subjects should be informed that participation in the study is voluntary and that failure to participate in the study or withdrawal of consent will not result in any penalty or loss of benefits to which the subjects are otherwise entitled."
SAMPLE LANGUAGE
Sample 1
You do not have to be in this study. You can say no. If you join the study, you can leave it at any time. If you choose not to participate, there will be no penalties, and no bad effects on any benefits or medical care that you are entitled to get from this hospital or from your health care providers. If you leave the study, please tell the investigator or research coordinator. Then we will ask you to come back to the clinic for a final assessment and discussion of future treatment options.
The key phrase, I think, is "any benefit or medical care ... from your health care provider"
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 4 hrs (2011-08-11 11:45:59 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I am not sure how to edit my answer, but it were better said, service, payment, or discount on service fee. With US healthcare providers one of the benefits is that certain types of medical procedures will be provided at no cost to the patient -- these are usually certain preventitive testing procedures like mamograms and colonoscopies.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 5 hrs (2011-08-11 11:52:39 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
This example from a template provided by Columbia University also gives a further explanation of this standard phrase. You may find the whole document useful:
OTHER INFORMATION
[State whether data will be confidential (linked to identifiers) or anonymous (no links). If data will be linked to identifiers, please state who will have access to identifiable data. Describe how the data will be used and how long they will be retained. State that subjects may refuse to participate or may withdraw from the study at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which they are otherwise entitled. Include a description of inducements (money, service, course credit) subjects may receive for participation.]
The translation workplace 
