Ethical Aspects Of Research Research Articles

Why research ethics should add retrospective review

Research ethics is an integral part of research, especially that involving human subjects. However, concerns have been expressed that research ethics has come to be seen as a procedural concern focused on a few well-established ethical issues that researchers need to address to obtain ethical approval to begin their research. While such prospective review of research is important, we argue that it is not sufficient to address all aspects of research ethics. We propose retrospective review as an important complement to prospective review. We offer two arguments to support our claim that prospective review is insufficient. First, as currently practiced, research ethics has become for some a ‘tick box’ exercise to get over the ‘hurdle’ of ethics approval. This fails to capture much of what is important in ethics and does not promote careful reflection on the ethical issues involved. Second, the current approach tends to be rules-based and we argue that research ethics should go beyond this to develop people’s capacity to be sensitive to the relevant moral features of their research, their ethical decision-making skills and their integrity. Retrospective review of a project’s ethical issues, and how they were addressed, could help to achieve those aims better. We believe that a broad range of stakeholders should be involved in such retrospective review, including representatives of ethics committees, participating communities and those involved in the research. All stakeholders could then learn from others’ perspectives and experiences. An open and transparent assessment of research could help to promote trust and understanding between stakeholders, as well as identifying areas of agreement and disagreement and how these can be built upon or addressed. Retrospective review also has the potential to promote critical reflection on ethics and help to develop ethical sensitivity and integrity within the research team. Demonstrating this would take empirical evidence and we suggest that any such initiatives should be accompanied by research into their effectiveness. Our article concludes with a discussion of some possible objections to our proposal, and an invitation to further debate and discussion.

The (un-) ethical interpreting researcher: ethics, voice and discretionary power in interpreting research

ABSTRACTThis article discusses different aspects of research ethics, the researcher’s voice and discretionary power in interpreting studies. Research ethics is laid down in international conventions, which in turn are reflected in national regulations and ethical vetting. Discretionary power is understood as the leeway for making conscientious decisions within the rules and regulations governing a certain field. Although research ethics in interpreting has as yet received little scholarly attention, it is important that the field discusses aspects such as informed consent and the collection, analysis and reporting of data. This article uses three case studies to discuss how researchers can handle such ethical issues. Interpreting researchers often are or have been active interpreters, and this is yet another potential challenge for the field. Such duality potentially means that the researcher needs to navigate two ethical systems, that of the interpreter and that of the researcher – systems that may come into conflict with each other. It may also entail the risk of the researcher’s voice taking over the participants’ narrative.

Research Ethics in the Securitised University

Addressing the complex and longstanding relationship between universities and security and intelligence agencies, this article provides a tentative, working conceptual framework for research ethics in a global higher education environment. The article does so in the light of intensified threats of international terrorism which have brought this historic relationship to the contemporary foreground of academic life. Seeing higher education environments as part of a broader process of enhanced security in societies worldwide, we use securitization theory to provide an analytical framework specifically for understanding a complex of historical-contemporary relationships between universities and security and intelligence agencies. As the basis for framing the ethical issues which arise for researchers across all disciplines, the intention is to raise awareness of a relationship which by its very, especially historical, nature, has been secret. The article suggests identify a three-fold analytical framework were structural, operational and ethical considerations are interwoven in complex ways. At the structural level we identify three modus operandi (covert, overt, covert-overt); and four academic ethical principles (standards; freedom; engagement; conduct). While the conceptual framework presented makes no pretence of offering a complete or comprehensive picture of a complex and still evolving relationship, the intention is provide some critical balance and coherence to a contentious not to say often divisive aspect of research ethics in the securitised university.

Community advisory boards and research ethics in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review

BackgroundCommunity advisory boards (CABs) are no longer limited to high-income countries (HICs); they play an increasing role in research in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Much work has examined the establishment and implementation of CABs in HICs, but less is known about CABs in LMICs. The purpose of this scoping review is to study the operation of CABs in LMICs and to discuss the implications for research ethics. MethodsWe searched five databases (PubMed, Embase, Global Health, Scopus, and Google Scholar) for publications describing or evaluating CABs in LMICs. Two researchers independently reviewed articles for inclusion. Data relating to the following aspects of CABs were extracted from included publications: publication date, country, financial support, research focus, responsibilities, and challenges. Thematic analyses were used to summarise textual data describing challenges. FindingsOur search yielded 2005 citations, 83 of which were deemed eligible for inclusion. Most studies (65) were published between 2010 and 2017. Upper-middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank, were more likely to have CAB studies, and of these South Africa (17), China (8), and Thailand (7) had the greatest numbers. Among the 34 CABs whose funding sources were reported, the US National Institutes of Health was the main source of financial support for CABs. Most CABs (53 of 88) in our sample advised on HIV research. Thirty-four studies reported how CABs influenced the informed consent process for clinical trials or other aspects of research ethics. CAB responsibilities were related to clinical trials (87 of 88), including educating local communities about research activities, and promoting the ethical conduct of research. The challenges faced by CABs included incomplete ethical regulations and guidance, limited knowledge of science among CAB members, unstable and unbalanced power relationships between researchers and local communities, poor CAB management, competing demands for time that limited participation in CAB activities, and language barriers between research staff and community members. InterpretationCABs may be a useful instrument for increasing community engagement and improving the ethical conduct of research in LMICs. Our study identifies several challenges faced by CABs in LMICs. These findings can help inform training and related activities to enhance CABs in LMICs. FundingThis work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases [NIAID]) number 1R01A108366.

Ética de la investigación y formadores de docentes

El presente artículo busca articular un enfoque particular de la ética de la investigación (Human Research Ethics) con respecto a las prácticas de investigación que realizan los formadores de docentes y sus estudiantes en comunidades de México y Bolivia. Se presentan los elementos teóricos de la ética de la investigación y las categorías generadas con base en las respuestas de 79 formadores de docentes a la pregunta abierta sobre los factores de protección que se deben tomar en cuenta con respecto a los participantes de las investigaciones. La pregunta forma parte de un cuestionario cualitativo aplicado entre marzo y junio de 2015. La principal conclusión es que aunque la función sustantiva que desempeñan estos profesores es la preparación de nuevos maestros de educación básica, al indagar sobre los factores de protección logran enunciar con claridad aspectos centrales de la ética de investigación.
 
 The purpose of the article is to present the theoretical elements of research ethics when the research is done with human beings: Human Research Ethics and the categories generated from the answers obtained with 79 teacher trainers from Mexico and Bolivia, in reference to the protective factors that had to be taken into account when they work with vulnerable groups. The question is part of a qualitative questionnaire applied between March and June 2015. The five dimensions: ethical, affective – emotional, social, cognitive-epistemological and methodological, were constructed with the theoretical elements and the empirical work. We found as an interesting fact that even though the principal task of the teacher trainers is to prepare young teachers, when we asked them about the protective factors for the study participants, they were able to express central issues in relation to research ethics.

Emerging Therapies: Communication, Consent, and Collaboration in Research-Based Treatment.

Emerging Therapies: Communication, Consent, and Collaboration in Research-Based Treatment.

Evolution of research ethics in a low resource setting: A case for Uganda.

The globalization of clinical research in the last two decades has led to a significant increase in the volume of clinical research in developing countries. As of 2016, Uganda was the third largest destination for clinical trials in Africa. This requires adequate capacity and systems to facilitate ethical practice. This was a retrospective study involving review of laws, guidelines, policies and records from 1896 to date. Modern medicine evolved from 1896 and by the time of Uganda's independence in 1962, a 1500 bed national referral hospital was in place and a fully-fledged medical school was established at the Makerere University. As the practice of medicine evolved in the country, so did medical research that addressed priority health issues. The growth in modern medicine was not matched with development of research infrastructure and regulatory systems. The first documented regulation of research activities was in 1970 while the first research ethics committee established in 1986 was to facilitate review of research related to the HIV/AIDs pandemic. In 1990 an Act of Parliament was passed to facilitate development and implementation of policies, hence the development of the national guidelines in 1997, training, establishment and accreditation of research ethics committees, conferences and research site monitoring. Over the past 120 years, the implementation and structural aspects of research ethics in Uganda have evolved through 70 years of no regulation, followed by 30 years of rudimentary regulation while the last 20 years have shown significant growth in the regulatory system associated with supportive laws, institutionalization of regulatory and training processes.

Ethical gaps in conducting research among adult survivors of child sexual abuse: a review.

Although there have been numerous studies, especially in the last few decades, on the impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) on adult survivors, there is a dearth of studies focusing on the ethical aspects of research in this area. Against this background, we reviewed the literature published between January 2000 and December 2016 on the reporting of ethical guidelines followed in research on adult survivors of CSA. We conducted a PubMed (MEDLINE) and Google Scholar search to find published research, using the keywords: "child sexual abuse", "adult survivors", "research", "guidelines" and "ethics". Our findings suggest that no particular assessment method is superior in terms of disclosure of information or reduction of distress. The use of developmentally appropriate educative materials, sensitisation, and debriefing sessions have shown some benefit in reducing distress. There is a lack of legal or social consensus on mandatory legal reporting of information provided by adult survivors of sexual abuse, with most researchers working on the premise that adults have the freedom of choice. Often, a constraint among researchers is the lack of structured training or supervision in sensitive research, which may negatively impact both the participant and the researcher. Institute ethics boards and institutions currently lack the framework to consider protocols and facilitate research, and this poses serious obstacles to fostering research. In this situation, ongoing research needs to focus on ethical aspects. Together with this, we recommend certain ethical practices drawn from various studies that may be employed for participants, researchers, and institutional ethics boards.

Five Dimensions of Research Ethics: A Stakeholder Framework for Creating a Climate of Research Integrity.

The authors explore five dimensions of research ethics: (1) normative ethics, which includes meta-ethical questions; (2) compliance with regulations, statutes, and institutional policies; (3) the rigor and reproducibility of science; (4) social value; and (5) workplace relationships. Each of the five dimensions is important not only because it addresses an aspect of good research done in a good manner but also because it addresses the concerns of key stakeholders in the research enterprise. The five-dimension framework can guide institutions as they answer three questions central to any research ethics program: (1) Who should champion research ethics? (2) What should interventions look like? and (3) Who should participate in the interventions? The framework is valuable because the answers to these three questions are radically different depending on the dimension under consideration. An expanded vision of research ethics does not entail that institutions should require additional online training or approvals from institutional review boards. However, without acknowledging all five dimensions, programs risk missing an important aspect of research ethics or ignoring the interests of important stakeholders.

Ethical aspects of research on laboratory animals

Ethical aspects of research on laboratory animals

Исследование этических проблем генетики в отечественной философской традиции (к истории идеи биотехнологического конструирования человека)

<p>В статье представлены основные вехи эволюции исследования этических проблем генетики в отечественной философской традиции и отмечен факт появления проблематики биотехнологического конструирования человека.</p><p>Показано, что наибольшее внимание исследованию этических проблем генетики и проблематике конструирования человека уделялось в творчестве И. Т. Фролова. Впоследствии тема стала центральной в научных исследованиях открытого при поддержке И. Т. Фролова в1992 г. Института человека РАН. Развитие практик конструирования человека, согласно взглядам И. Т. Фролова, связывалось с психологическими особенностями человека, с богатой активностью человеческого воображения. И. Т. Фролов утверждал, что наука не может быть этически нейтральной. Ученый, объективируя человека в процессе своих исследований, все время должен иметь в виду его субъектность, его сложность, его ценности, в том числе и когда речь идет о возможностях изменения человеческой природы, ее «переделке» с целью создания совершенного человека.</p><p>Институт человека на определенном этапе своего развития стал своего рода платформой этической мысли для изучения этико-социальной компоненты Международного научно-исследовательского проекта «Геном человека» (1990–2003), посвященного расшифровке человеческого генома. С самого начала данный проект включал в качестве составной части анализ этических аспектов развития молекулярной генетики и этических аспектов исследований по геному человека. Институт человека совместно с центром «Биоинженерия» РАН проводил в конце 1990-х годов также исследования этико-правовых проблем, возникающих в связи с развитием генной инженерии.</p>

Patient Preferences May Be Indicative ofNormative Issues in Dementia Research.

Robillard and Feng highlight incongruence between patient preferences and the procedural aspects of research ethics as they relate to protocols for dementia research. Their findings break ground for a reassessment of how research ethics, researchers, and participants (including patients and caregivers) approach participation in dementia research. However, it is unclear whether patient preferences may also herald a normative gap between how dementia research is being conducted and how it should be done. This response uses one of Robillard and Feng's findings to illustrate how descriptive empirical data might be reinterpreted into normative questions that reframe current practices in the context of dementia research.

Social Representations on ethical and bioethic aspects in research

Objective: the study aims to analyze the social representations on the ethical and bioethical aspects in the research elaborated by academics of the Dentistry Course.
 Methods: it is a qualitative research based on the Theory of Social Representations carried out with 80 academics of the Dentistry course. The data were collected through a semi-structured interview script, processed in the IRaMuTeQ and analyzed by the Descending Hierarchical Classification. The study followed the ethical standards recommended by Resolution n. 466/2012, obtaining approval from the Ethics Committee of UNINOVAFAPI University Center.
 Results: The corpus analyzed in the study is composed of 79 units of initial context (UCI) with use of 62%. The results are presented in four classes, namely: 4. The understanding of Ethics and Bioethics in research; 3. Researcher's social position; 1. Legal responsibilities of the researcher and 2. Normative aspects of research ethics - legal basis.
 Conclusion: Scholars represent ethical and bioethical aspects in research as essential to respect human dignity and protect the lives of research participants, with a focus on normative aspects of research ethics through Research Committees. Their attitudes are guided by their conditions of life, their beliefs and cultures of different social contexts.
 Keywords: Bioethics, ethics, social psychology.

"The way the country has been carved up by researchers": ethics and power in north-south public health research.

BackgroundDespite the recognition of power as being central to health research collaborations between high income countries and low and middle income countries, there has been insufficient detailed analysis of power within these partnerships. The politics of research in the global south is often considered outside of the remit of research ethics. This article reports on an analysis of power in north–south public health research, using Zambia as a case study.MethodsPrimary data were collected in 2011/2012, through 53 in-depth interviews with: Zambian researchers (n = 20), Zambian national stakeholders (n = 8) and northern researchers who had been involved in public health research collaborations involving Zambia and the global north (n = 25). Thematic analysis, utilising a situated ethics perspective, was undertaken using Nvivo 10.ResultsMost interviewees perceived roles and relationships to be inequitable with power remaining with the north. Concepts from Bourdieu’s theory of Power and Practice highlight new aspects of research ethics: Northern and southern researchers perceive that different habituses exist, north and south - habituses of domination (northern) and subordination (Zambian) in relation to researcher relationships.Bourdieu’s hysteresis effect provides a possible explanation for why power differentials continue to exist. In some cases, new opportunities have arisen for Zambian researchers; however, they may not immediately recognise and grasp them.Bourdieu’s concept of Capitals offers an explanation of how diverse resources are used to explain these power imbalances, where northern researchers are often in possession of more economic, symbolic and social capital; while Zambian researchers possess more cultural capital. ConclusionsInequities and power imbalances need to be recognised and addressed in research partnerships. A situated ethics approach is central in understanding this relationship in north–south public health research.

Medical ethics applied in forensic research: a revisit to ethical guidelines

The knowledge on recent advances in research ethics is mandatory for the forensic community comprising mainly forensic pathologists, forensic scientists and members from the legal fraternity who support the smooth functioning of the medico-legal system. A revisit to the recent developments in medical ethics and understanding the implications towards forensic research would keep Sri Lanka in equal platform with other countries. The main objective of this paper is to revisit the recent developments in medical ethics and to understand the ethical principles applied in forensic research. The review article briefly explores the ethical aspects of research involving clinical patients, research involving dead bodies and skeletons, laboratory investigations in research and publications of research findings. The existing ethical norms in research practice had evolved over a long period of times. The sound knowledge of the internationally accepted ethical principles would make sure forensic researches are developed according to the accepted standards and be more scientifically valid.

The researcher’s role in the research process. Reflections and experiences of an ethnologist

In this paper I present my reflections and experiences from decades of ethnological research until now. Auto-ethnography means that researchers use their personal experiences in a self-reflexive way in the ethnographic research process both regarding data collection and analysis. The aim is that researchers in this way may better understand and interpret other people and cultures which they study in the field. The personal background plays a role, both in what you choose to study and what you deliberately avoid to investigate. You can also problematize the researcher’s gender. The ethical aspects of research become important so that the scholars will not harm the people being studied. There are restrictions of the researcher’s subjectivity.

Capturing Undergraduate Experience through Participant - Generated Video

The enrolment and attrition rate in science degrees in the Western world is of increasing concern, both nationally and at university level. At the same time, teaching undergraduate science requires universities to invest in laboratories, staff and equipment to meet the initial demand of enrolling students. In this article, I discuss participant - generated video as an innovative method of research used in a study to extend understanding about the experience of science students’ experience in an Australian university. In this paper, I present the method s and practices used to explore the experience of a selected number of undergraduate science students, using a phenomenological approach. Students used video cameras to record their daily experiences and their commentaries on these over the course of a semester. This method of data collection presented interesting issues related to ethics, the underlying organization of the design, and the way the students engaged as participant - researchers. The results of the study showed that the method of participant - generated video data collection educated the students on aspects of research ethics involving human subjects and on reflecting on meaning, which enabled the students to present powerful insights into their own experience.

Research governance in placebo-controlled trials

The European Medicines Agency and the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use are powerful international institutions for the regulation of biomedical research. Although not directly concerned with the ethical aspects of research, both institutions have disseminated position papers on ethical issues relating to the use of placebos in clinical trials. What appears initially to be guidance on the methodology of placebo-controlled trials (with very technical content) clearly has some far-reaching implications for the extent of risk patients can be expected to be subjected to in such trials. On the basis of this guidance, this article questions how much additional harm to patients would be acceptable in placebo-controlled trials in comparison with active-control trials. The article will show that the instruments provided in the guidance are unsuitable, remaining unclear on vital points and thereby leaving patients, researchers and research ethics committees without appropriate direction. In conclusion, placebo-controlled trials urgently need more appropriate regulation to ascertain an acceptable level of risk for participating patients in relation to additional harm.

Teaching International Students How to Avoid Plagiarism: Librarians and Faculty in Collaboration

This paper presents how a plagiarism component has been integrated in a Research Methodology course for Engineering Master students at Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden. The plagiarism issue was approached from an educational perspective, rather than a punitive. The course director and librarians developed this part of the course in close collaboration. One part of the course is dedicated to how to cite, paraphrase and reference, while another part stresses the legal and ethical aspects of research. Currently, the majority of the students are international, which means there are intercultural and language aspects to consider. In order to evaluate our approach to teaching about plagiarism, we conducted a survey. The results of the survey indicate a need for education on how to cite and reference properly in order to avoid plagiarism, a result which is also supported by students' assignment results. Some suggestions are given for future development of the course.

Scientific Progress and Ethic Stumbles: Tuskegee�s Research

Scam in scientific and medical research is more frequent than it should be. It can be seen in cases of plagiarism and results which cannot be verified -including modified statistics-. In England one of the most stunning scandals took place, and it was considered one of the most important frauds of the 20th century. This fraud was carried out by Andrew Wakefield in England during the 90s, and it consisted in making up a nonexistent relation between the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella) and the appearance of autism in 12 children. Some years later, when it was discovered that the data published was false, “The Lancet” magazine took back. Behind this deliberate scam, a serious conflict of interests was hidden: Wakefield had been hired (and paid) by Richard Barr, a lawyer who recruited autistic children’s parents to sue the manufacturers of the vaccine. In spite of the appearance of new data that showed that fraud, this falsification provoked a media movement against vaccines. Even worse, the demand of MMR vaccine, which had been discredited without real proves, decreased in the United Kingdom below the recommended threshold to keep the immunity of the population. Wakefield lost his license to work in the United Kingdom. However, he says (now from the United States) that the study was valid, and that some parents of those children still support him. Wakefield should be sued due to his behavior as medical researcher. In this case it is shown once again that a revision to the ethical aspects of research is necessary as it will always be, at least, a slight contribution to doctors under training.