Belmont Report Summary

Prior to the development of the Belmont Report, scientists and researchers decisions were made about studies based on their own principles and goals, there were no guiding principles to assist in the ethics of their decision making. Experimentation on human subjects often occurred without appropriate information or consent of the subject. In addition experimentation occurred with complete disregard of the subjects as persons.
The Belmont Report includes 3 basic ethical principles, respect of persons, beneficence, and justice. Respect for persons means that individuals are regarded as self-governing and persons who, due to physical or mental impairment are unable to exercise autonomy are protected.
Beneficence is the second ethical principle
of the Belmont Report. Beneficence requires that actions performed by researchers benefit and promote the welfare of participants and other people (Butts & Rich, 2013). In addition to avoiding harm, there must be efforts to assure the well-being of the subjects.
The practice of justice is the third guiding ethical principle of the Belmont Report. Justice is the fair and equitable treatment of persons while concurrently avoiding prejudice and assuring equitable distribution of the benefits and burdens of research ("Belmont report," 1979).