What type of consent would have been needed to make the study ethical and valid?

In order to make the study ethical and valid, informed consent would have been needed from each participant. This means that all individuals must be made aware of what the research entails as well as any potential risks associated with it before giving their approval; this includes providing a detailed description of the experiment along with any relevant information such as duration or compensation if applicable.

Furthermore, they must also be given an opportunity to ask questions regarding the study in order to gain further clarity; similarly, they should also receive written documents outlining all terms and conditions which can help protect them from any future issues. Additionally, patients should also have access to an advocate who can provide additional guidance if necessary.

Lastly, care must be taken when gathering data in order to ensure that no confidential information is revealed or used for commercial purposes without prior consent; this involves introducing rigorous security measures alongside strict protocols around how data is stored and handled thus preventing it from falling into the wrong hands.

Overall, by following these guidelines we can ensure that everyone involved is adequately protected while still allowing us collect valuable insights thus allowing us make more informed decisions moving forward.