Ethical Issues Related to Medical Research on Human Participants

Abstract

AbstractThe ‘practice of ethics’ takes the upper hand over all other obligations including legal enforcements and moral prejudices—even so during medical research. Ethics in medical practice is a composite term including the exercise of ethical principles both during clinical practice (as a healthcare provider) and research activities (as a biomedical researcher). The Belmont Report had put forth the four basic tenets of medical ethics such as the principle of respect for autonomy, the principle of nonmaleficence, the principle of beneficence, and the principle of justice. The many guidelines published on the ethical issues related to research in human population are built upon a common principle that the “well-being of the research participants” would never be compromised. The Chapter includes discussion on the various internationally acclaimed guiding regulations, principles, and policies on biomedical ethics, various components of medical ethics—including publication ethics, evolution and current status of medical research ethics.KeywordsMedical ethicsBiomedical ethicsResearch ethicsAutonomyNonmaleficence and beneficenceJustice and equalityICMR Ethical GuidelinesThe Belmont ReportThe Nuremberg CodeThe CIOMS Guidelines