What does “consent obtained” mean?

When you check the Consent obtained box during the process of creating a case in the GestaltMatcher Database (GMDB), you confirm that you have obtained valid informed consent from the patient or legal guardian to store and share their data in accordance with GMDB policies and GDPR requirements.

Please only check this box if at least one of the following conditions is met:

• You used the digital consent within GMDB. The patient or guardian signed electronically, and you have verified the signature.
• You obtained written consent using the GMDB paper consent form, available for download on the website.
• You have an existing consent that is compatible with GMDB requirements (e.g. from the PEDIA study or another consent form that permits publication or medical data sharing).

Please also review the visibility settings of your case:

• If the case is set to FAIR (shared), the photo will appear in the Gallery view and be visible to other verified users.
• If the case is set to Private, it remains visible only to you, even after checking the box.

You do not have to upload the consent form to GMDB, but you must retain a copy and ensure you can provide proof of consent if required.

We provide written consent templates and study information materials you can use for your patients:

• Written consent templates: English | German
• Study information for patients and research participants: English | German
• Study information for children with known diagnosis: English | German
• Study information for children without diagnosis: English | German

You can also find all of these documents in the Downloads section.

→ See also: How can I invite patients to sign digital consent or upload photos themselves?