Benefits, Limitations, and Ethical Dilemmas

Respect for Persons

• All participants have equal moral value and should be treated with respect.

• Individuals are free to make up their own minds (autonomy).

• Informed consent is essential.

• Some people are entitled to special protection:

  • Children

  • People with cognitive impairments

  • Prisoners

Beneficence

• Concern for welfare; researchers must take precautions to ensure participant wellbeing.

• Risk–benefit analysis: weigh potential risks against potential benefits.

• Privacy protections:

  • Anonymous: researchers do not collect any identifying information.

  • Confidential: researchers collect identifying data but prevent disclosure of that information.

Justice

• Balance between the people who participate in research and those who benefit from it.

Informed Consent

• Informed consent is usually needed.

• Explanations should use everyday language.

• Inform participants about the privacy status of their data.

• Inform participants of their rights.

• Participation in the study is entirely optional (voluntary).

Deception

• In some experiments deception may be needed to protect the integrity of the study.

• Omission (withholding information) vs. commission (providing false information).

• After participating, participants must be fully debriefed.

Animal Research Practices

• Potential human benefits must be weighed against harm to animal subjects.

• Local committees require researchers to submit a protocol for how animals will be treated.

• Labs need to be inspected.

Animal Research Practices – Guidelines

• Replacement: use alternatives to animals in research where possible.

• Refinement: modify procedures to minimize or eliminate animal distress.

• Reduction: adopt experimental designs that require the fewest animal subjects possible.