What Rules And Regulations Make Research Permissible?

In any research there are always risks to the patient but there are certain rules and regulations that make research permissible. The World Medical Association states that, “In medical research on human subjects, considerations related to the well-being of the human subject should take precedence over the interest of science and society” (242). This means that the safety of the patient should always be considered over the outcomes of the research. In the situation that the patient is harmed in any way, the research must be stopped in order to protect the safety and well-being of the patient regardless of the possible medical advancements that may benefit others. It is unethical to risk the safety of patients to attempt to achieve an accurate conclusion to the research.

According to the Hellmans, a physician-scientist has two duties that usually conflict. As a physician, they have the duty to ensure the well-being, safety, and health of patients. However, as a scientist, they have the duty to look for beneficial treatments and advancements for society. When physicians participate in researches, they compromise their ethical commitment of making patients their primary priority. Research trials also affects the physician’s decision making because it “prevents the treatment technique from being modified on the basis
Physicians are usually relied on to make the best decision for a patient’s treatment but the best treatment is usually unknown. If a patient were to ask the physician about the integrity and status of the experiment, physicians are required to provide their honest judgement even if it influences the patient to accept or decline their participation in the research. The other point they make is about the possibility to mistakes a physician can make. Physicians are not perfect and they are “as likely to be wrong as right”