The Ethical Implications In Human Research
The Ethical Implication in Human Research
Amanda K. Robertson
Fort Hays State University
The Ethical Implications in Human Research Medical research using human subjects has been going on for years, however ethical standards in research with the use of human subjects is a new concept relative to time. Today IRBs or Institutional Review Boards must be consulted before research can begin when human subjects will be used. The formation of Institutional Review Boards were a result of some very unethical human research over a period of many years with the beginning of the ethical changes coming from the infamous Nuremberg Trials following World War II. These were the trials of many doctors and military leaders from the Nazi regime for crimes against humanity. This led to a formation of ten principles to be used and considered before any research with the use of human subjects is to begin. These principles were formed by the American judges that were among those that tried these doctors and former members of the Nazi regime; these principles were titled the Nuremberg Code (Shuster, 1997). The ten principles known as the Nuremberg Code were developed during the trials in Nuremberg; these principles were based on ethical ideals that were explored for the trial with regard to ethics in research (Shuster, 1997). There were three distinct principles or ethical outcomes that have been a repetitive feature in other reports that followed in regards to human research; informed consent, benefits must always outweigh any risks that would be involved, and no unnecessary suffering on the part of the participant should occur (Fischer, 2005). Each of these principles have ideals that have been found in studies and reports following the trials in Nuremberg, and each have important ethical implications for research studies involving the use of human subjects.
The first and most important principle of research using human subjects is that each participant must give full
Amanda K. Robertson
Fort Hays State University
The Ethical Implications in Human Research Medical research using human subjects has been going on for years, however ethical standards in research with the use of human subjects is a new concept relative to time. Today IRBs or Institutional Review Boards must be consulted before research can begin when human subjects will be used. The formation of Institutional Review Boards were a result of some very unethical human research over a period of many years with the beginning of the ethical changes coming from the infamous Nuremberg Trials following World War II. These were the trials of many doctors and military leaders from the Nazi regime for crimes against humanity. This led to a formation of ten principles to be used and considered before any research with the use of human subjects is to begin. These principles were formed by the American judges that were among those that tried these doctors and former members of the Nazi regime; these principles were titled the Nuremberg Code (Shuster, 1997). The ten principles known as the Nuremberg Code were developed during the trials in Nuremberg; these principles were based on ethical ideals that were explored for the trial with regard to ethics in research (Shuster, 1997). There were three distinct principles or ethical outcomes that have been a repetitive feature in other reports that followed in regards to human research; informed consent, benefits must always outweigh any risks that would be involved, and no unnecessary suffering on the part of the participant should occur (Fischer, 2005). Each of these principles have ideals that have been found in studies and reports following the trials in Nuremberg, and each have important ethical implications for research studies involving the use of human subjects.
The first and most important principle of research using human subjects is that each participant must give full
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