TAG ARCHIVES FOR people and perspectives

28
Apr2016

Contribute to the Solutions

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28 Apr
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During her years as a clinician, Boghuma Titanji, MD, MSc, PhD, keynote speaker at the 2015 Advancing Ethical Research Conference (AER15), struggled to deal with cases of preventable, infectious diseases, particularly in children. Many times, the parents could not afford treatment and, as a result, the child died. During her interview for People and Perspectives, she talks about one such instance where a child with severe malaria died in her arms after the parents were unable to afford a blood transfusion. This experience, and [...] Read more

28
Jan2016

What Does the Public Need to Know About Research?

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28 Jan
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Since the launch of People and Perspectives (P&P) in 2013, we have interviewed a variety of individuals, from the founders of the research ethics field to those who have only been in it for a few years. But one thing we ask most of them is, "what do you think the general public needs to know about research?" Though their responses are different, many reference a common theme: people need to understand why research matters to them. (more…) Read more

31
Jul2015

In Memoriam: Warren K. Ashe

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31 Jul
Comments: 1

Warren K. Ashe, PhD, retired associate dean for research at Howard University and former PRIM&R Board member, passed away on July 26, 2015. He was 85.

Dr. Ashe had a self-described love affair with Howard University from childhood, when he dreamed of being involved in the medical school. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Howard, Dr. Ashe enlisted in the US Marines Corps. He remarked that the day he enlisted was both the best—and the worst—day of his life. “[The Marines] have a motto that I still remember. They say, ‘the difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little time.’…I live my life on that principle.”

After an honorable [...] Read more

15
Jul2015

Applying Principles to Process: the Belmont Report and the work of the IRB

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15 Jul
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The Belmont Report serves as the ethical basis upon which regulations on the use of human subjects in research are based. These principles do not technically govern the research process, and yet are essential to ensure that research is done ethically. At the 2014 Advancing Ethical Research Conference, Gigi McMillan interviewed Ilene Wilets, PhD, CIP, executive director of the institutional review board (IRB) at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, for People and Perspectives. During her interview, Dr. Wilets [...] Read more

30
Jun2015

Risk of Groupthink

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30 Jun
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Collaborative discussions are not unique to the research ethics community. One can assume that every day, all over the world, there are many groups sitting in rooms trying to come to consensus on issues.

Given our near-universal constraint of time in a day, and the range of knowledge in any given room, these discussions can—often inadvertently—lean towards “groupthink,” where the attempt is made to minimize conflict, and in doing so reach a consensus without considering all viewpoints. Think of it as one of those “everyone agree?…[brief pause]…good, moving on...” situations.


When this happens, some in the group may feel uncomfortable dissenting, and a decision is made without considering all opinions. [...] Read more