Broken Promises - Shattered Lives

About this Project Broken Promises – Shattered Lives is an independent investigative initiative focused on informed consent, clinical trials, and the intersection of law, ethics, and lived experience. This project emerged from direct personal experience, extensive documentation, and years of research into how informed consent actually operates in practice—not just in theory. Why  this Matters Informed consent is often treated as a formality. A document to be signed. A process to be completed. But in reality, it is one of the most important safeguards intended to protect individuals when making decisions that may carry risk. When informed consent works properly, it supports: Understanding Decision-making Transparency   Accountability When it fails  the consequences can extend far beyond a single moment or a single document. What this Project Does This platform brings together: Analytical Articles examining systems, frameworks, and obligations Insights capturing real-world ...

Every day, people sign documents they have not fully read. Every day, people sign documents they have not fully read. Not because they are careless. Not because they lack intelligence. But because they trust. They trust the doctor sitting across from them. They trust the hospital. They trust the institution. They trust the system. Most of the time, that trust is never tested. But when something goes wrong, the document that was signed in a matter of minutes can suddenly become one of the most important documents in a person’s life. That raises an uncomfortable question: What are people really agreeing to when they sign an informed consent document? A signature may record agreement. It does not guarantee understanding. The Document We Rarely Read  Most people encounter informed consent in one form or another throughout their lives. Before surgery. Before a medical procedure. Before joining a clinical trial. Before providing personal information. Most of us encounter informed co...

There are stories that are told. There are stories that are buried . This is one of them. This is not fiction. This is a true story. This is our story. This is what happened. Broken Promises – Shattered Lives by Carol Musgrove Available now on Amazon   This is not just a story. It is a record. A record of events. A record of decisions. A record of what happens when systems fail to respond when it matters most. A record of what happens when trust is placed in institutions that promise protection. A record of silence. A record of abandonment. A record of survival. My husband volunteered for a COVID-19 clinical trial believing he was helping humanity. He trusted the doctors. He trusted the research process. He trusted the promises made in informed consent documents. He trusted that if anything went wrong, he would be protected. Instead, our lives changed forever. Broken Promises – Shattered Lives follows our journey through: • Clinical trial participation • Medical trauma • Emer...