Spring is finally here, and with it comes a new edition of the Research Ethics Roundup! Before you head out to the garden this weekend, take a moment to review these articles from the world of research ethics. From an appeal for stricter reporting standards worldwide, to a discussion of oversight in participant-led research, this bouquet of recent headlines is sure to brighten up your day!
Though there’s still snow on the ground across much of the country, baseball fans celebrated the start of Spring Training this week, signaling that warm weather is just around the corner. If you’re looking to get “ahead in the count” of your professional development, take a crack at this week’s Research Ethics Roundup.
Ethics of 2 U.S.-funded cancer studies in India questioned: Two separate U.S.-funded studies of cervical cancer in India are the subject of growing controversy. Researchers conducting the study neglected to screen members of the control group for cervical cancer and failed to obtain adequate informed consent [...] Read more
by Julie Fine, Legal Specialist, Legal Division, Pfizer Inc. (Please note: The views presented here are my own and do not reflect positions or policies of Pfizer.)
In the weeks following the 2012 Advancing Ethical Research Conference, what has lingered with me most has been the keynote speech on mental illness and stigma by Elyn Saks, JD, PhD. She discussed how [...] Read more
Punxsutawney Phil predicted that spring will come early this year, so to celebrate we’ve brought together the latest stories in the world of research ethics! In this Research Ethics Roundup installment, learn about burgeoning discussion of the use of placebos in developing countries, recent reports of government agencies funding redundant protocols, and much more!
Ethical controversy in human subjects research: The use of placebo as a control in clinical trials is typically considered unethical if an effective treatment for the condition under study already exists. However, in resource-scarce countries, individuals outside of clinical trials may not have access to those treatments. This blog post from Ruth [...] Read more
by Joan Rachlin, Executive Director
A remarkable documentary, How to Survive a Plague (HtSaP), was shown at PRIM&R’s 2012 Advancing Ethical Research (AER) Conference last month. HtSaP was just nominated for an Academy Award last week in the Best Documentary category, and I am writing to recommend it to you because it has particular relevance for those working in the research ethics field. In addition [...] Read more
