Learn English – Meaning of “otherwise entitled”

legalesemeaning-in-context

Please help me understand the meaning of "otherwise entitled" in the following sentence:

"Refusal to participate or stopping your participation will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled."

The above sentence is part of a consent form for a research on the access to medical services in a small town.

Best Answer

"Refusal to participate or stopping your participation will involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled."

If you have the right to some benefits and this right does not arise from your participation in the research program, you will not lose these benefits in case you refuse to participate or stop your participation in this program.

Say, you have the right to receive some prescription drugs free of charge. Then you learn about this new research program. Your right to receive these drugs is not linked to this program. You decide to participate in this new program, but then suddenly you change your mind and discontinue your participation. This decision will not affect your right to recieve the free drugs.

(caveat: I'm not a native speaker of English)