Ethical Requirements Research Articles

The Moral Principles Guiding the Judge’s Activities (Illustrated by the Life Journey of A. F. Koni)

The year 2024 commemorates the 180th anniversary of the birth of Anatoly Fedorovich Koni (1844–1927), a prominent lawyer, prosecutor, statesman, and public figure in post-reform Russia during the latter half of the 19th century. In this context, it appears fitting to reconsider the legacy of this iconic individual, whose life journey serves as a compelling testament to the challenging process of shaping and advancing the principles upon which the trial currently rests. The aim of this study is to uncover the attributes of the present-day incorporation of A. F. Koni’s moral and ethical principles within the domestic legal framework. Research methods. This study was based on general scientific methods (analysis and synthesis, etc.) and methods of legal science (historical-legal, formal-legal). The study is based on the theoretical works of domestic specialists who have studied the A. F. Koni’s legacy. Study results. The moral concepts of A. F. Koni were formulated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, wherein the fundamental tenets of administration of justice are enumerated: independence, irremovability, inviolability of judges, and openness of court proceedings. Moreover, the judge’s moral and ethical requirements coined by A. F. Koni were mirrored in the Law of the Russian Federation No. 3132-1 on the Status of Judges in the Russian Federation dated 26 June 1992. The Code of Judicial Ethics adopted in 2012 gains particular importance in the context of the analysis of A. F. Koni’s legacy. This document consistently and comprehensively outlines the principles of professional conduct for judges, as well as their involvement in activities pertaining to the advancement of law and legislation, implementation of legal practice, etc. It appears imperative to conduct further examination of A. F. Koni’s moral and ethical concepts to enhance the existing legislative instruments regulating judicial activities.

Balancing Different Legal and Ethical Requirements in the Construction of Informed Consents in Qualitative International Collaborative Research Across Continents - Reflections from a Scandinavian Perspective

Balancing Different Legal and Ethical Requirements in the Construction of Informed Consents in Qualitative International Collaborative Research Across Continents - Reflections from a Scandinavian Perspective

E-Health: Security, Privacy, and Ethics Requirements from a National Perspective in I. R. Iran.

This paper explores the security, privacy, and ethical implications of e-health data in Iran's healthcare network. A framework is proposed to ensure security and privacy in electronic health information processing across various institutions. The framework addresses aspects such as software/hardware, communication networks, patient safety, privacy, confidentiality, online health service regulations, commercial and judicial exploitation, and education/research. The study categorizes these requirements into seven main categories to safeguard health-oriented service recipients' security and privacy.

Patient information leaflets for placebo-controlled surgical trials: a review of current practice and recommendations for developers.

Informed consent for participation in an RCT is an important ethical and legal requirement. In placebo surgical trials, further issues are raised, and to date, this has not been explored. Patient information leaflets (PILs) are a core component of the informed consent process. This study aimed to investigate the key content of PILs for recently completed placebo-controlled trials of invasive procedures, including surgery, to highlight areas of good practice, identify gaps in information provision for trials of this type and provide recommendations for practice. PILs were sought from trials included in a recent systematic review of placebo-controlled trials of invasive procedures, including surgery. Trial characteristics and data on surgical and placebo interventions under evaluation were extracted. Directed content analysis was applied, informed by published regulatory and good practice guidance on PIL content and existing research on placebo-controlled surgical trials. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and presented as a narrative summary. Of the 62 eligible RCTs, authors of 59 trials were contactable and 14 PILs were received for analysis. At least 50% of all PILs included content on general trial design. Explanations of how the placebo differs or is similar to the surgical intervention (i.e. fidelity) were reported in 6 (43%) of the included PILs. Over half (57%) of the PILs included information on the potential therapeutic benefits of the surgical intervention. One (7%) included information on potential indirect therapeutic benefits from invasive components of the placebo. Five (36%) presented the known risks of the placebo intervention, whilst 8 (57%) presented information on the known risks of the surgical intervention. A range of terms was used across the PILs to describe the placebo component, including 'control', 'mock' and 'sham'. Developers of PILs for placebo-controlled surgical trials should carefully consider the use of language (e.g. sham, mock), be explicit about how the placebo differs (or is similar) to the surgical intervention and provide balanced presentations of potential benefits and risks of the surgical intervention separately from the placebo. Further research is required to determine optimal approaches to design and deliver this information for these trials.

Writing against the chain transmission of fear: Reflections on institutionalised ethics

As a master's student investigating curricular decolonisation at South African tertiary music departments, I found myself in a chain of fear driven by previous contestations of similar critical projects. Despite stringently following the institutional ethics requirements, ethical concerns regarding the critical content of my work were still raised, perpetuating this fear. In this article, I discuss my concerns that the issues raised stemmed from an environment in which moral knowledge has become codified in a template for ethical research. I consider the problems that occur when ethical procedures such as anonymity, protecting ‘vulnerable’ interviewees and member checking become mere tick-boxes on a template for ethical research, as well as how such templates can become a method of imbuing fear into the researcher. In conclusion, I propose the development of an ethical praxis premised on an ethics of care that enables, rather than stymies, critical research.

Международное медицинское образовательное пространство в условиях цифровой цивилизации

A modern university is a place where meanings are created. These meanings are transmitted primarily through the uni-versity's website, through social networks, where the university is represented. To put it in marketing terms, it is through digital re-sources that the university is looking for clients-students. And this is where educational, scientific, and commercial interests intersect, which makes it fundamentally important to universalize ethical requirements for all participants in this process. At the same time, digi-tal transformation is becoming an objective necessity for the development of education and the formation of a client base for the future, as well as for maintaining contacts with students' parents and graduates. And it is those universities that get involved in this process faster and better that will benefit. The university's website is the main resource where its meanings are broadcast and moral stories are objectified. Aim: to clarify the concept of digitalization of medical education as an international phenomenon regulated by general ethi-cal and social requirements. To date, there is no universally accepted definition of such a concept as digitalization of medical education, since this term is a rather complex multifaceted phenomenon.We are considering medical education, the possibility of obtaining it using digital technologies, analyzing the volume of built-in digital education, its feasibility and relevance. The website is the main resource of the university in terms of marketing, information, education and regulatory regulation of the entire learning process. Special requirements are imposed on its form and content in the situ-ation of teaching medical students in a foreign language environment.

Non-hiatal diaphragmatic hernias: results of transabdominal and transthoracic surgical approaches at a fourth-level hospital.

The objective of this study is to elucidate the clinical and demographic profiles, as well as perioperative outcomes, of patients undergoing surgery for non-hiatal diaphragmatic hernias. Additionally, it aims to analyse these outcomes based on the surgical approach employed (transthoracic versus transabdominal). This retrospective, observational study was conducted at a single center and involved patients diagnosed with non-hiatal diaphragmatic hernia who underwent either emergency or elective surgery between July 2007 and March 2023. Clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes of these patients were compared using appropriate statistical tests.The research protocol for this observational, retrospective, and comparative study followed the Declaration of Helsinki's ethical requirements. The need for Clinical Research Ethics Committee approval was waived according to our institutional law because the study was a retrospective cohort study based on anonymous data of patients. Informed consent was waived because this study involved the secondary analysis of patient medical records. Additionally, this study followed the STROBE guidelines for reporting observational studies. The analysis included 22 patients being 59.1% men, with median age of 61years. The predominant clinical presentation was restrictive lung disease (40.9%). The majority of cases (68%) had traumatic aetiology with a median defect size of 4cm (range of 3-8cm). Elective surgery was performed in 15 cases (68.1%) and transthoracic approach was employed in 13 patients (54.5%). Postoperative major morbidity reached 27.2% and mortality within 30days was 9.1%. Emergency surgeries accounted for 44.4% of transabdominal interventions, compared to 23% in the transthoracic subgroup (p = 0.376). There were no statistically significant differences between the transabdominal and trasnthoracic approaches in terms of global postoperative complications (88.8% vs. 84.6%, p = 1), major complications (44.4% vs 15.4%, p = 0.734), mortality (11.1% v 7.6%, p = 1) and recurrence (11.1% vs 7.6%, p = 1). Postoperative stay was significantly shorter in the transthoracic subgroup (6days vs. 14days, p = 0.011). Non-hiatal diaphragmatic hernias are characterized by significant postoperative major morbidity and mortality rates, standing at 27.2% and 9.1%, respectively, accompanied by a recurrence rate of 9.1%. Both transthoracic and transabdominal approaches demonstrate comparable short- and long-term outcomes.

Hypocrisy and Conditional Requirements

ABSTRACT This paper considers the formulation of the moral requirement against hypocrisy, paying particular attention to the logical scope of ‘requires’ in that formulation. The paper argues (i) that we should prefer a wide-scope formulation to a narrow-scope formulation, and (ii) this result has some advantages for our normative theorizing about hypocrisy—in particular, it allows us to resist several of Daniela Dover’s (2019) recent arguments against the anti-hypocrisy requirement.

Anesthesia and Analgesia Recommended for Painful Procedures in Small Animals

The non-invasive but painful and invasive procedures are frequently performed in experimental animal studies, such as blood withdrawal, route of administration, and surgical procedures. Most of these procedures commonly conducted under anesthesia and/or analgesia and should be complied with the ethical requirements. However, pain is difficult to assess in animals, therefore, it is advisable to provide the analgesics pre-emptively or if painful condition is expected. Preanesthetic like tranquilizer is generally used to reduce the stress in animal and further it also aids in the smooth induction of anesthesia and recovery. In view of this, the objective is to demonstrate and discuss the guidelines of anesthesia and analgesia in small animals, especially mouse and rat with principal focus to ethical purview. These guidelines can be applicable to the animal house facility, pharmacology laboratory, and to a large extent for veterinary care.

Systematic analysis of approaches used in cardiac arrest trials to inform relatives about trial enrolment of non-surviving patients

BackgroundThe recruitment of patients to emergency research studies without the requirement for prior informed consent has furthered the conduct of randomised studies in cardiac arrest. Frameworks enabling this vary around...

Improving ethical assurance for non-university researchers in crisis settings: an early vision based on democratic norms

This article aims to open a discussion on better ethical assurance for non-university research actors drawing on democratic norms. It derives from the author’s experience of a gap in ethical assurance for social science and humanities (SSH) research that takes place outside academia, for example within international organisations, public bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and by private entities. Many of these actors commission, conduct or sub-contract research activities involving human participants on a regular basis, an activity that often increases during times of crisis where researchers in both the public and private sphere scramble to generate the new knowledge necessary to respond and prevent further harms. The ethical assurance frameworks for such research, while growing, remain limited. Discussion of research conducted by actors outside of university settings and their ethical assurance frameworks are both subjects under-interrogated within the literature. This paper seeks to open that discussion by presenting this broad non-university research context through the frame of research in crisis settings, where the ethical requirements of ‘do no harm’ and the ‘dual imperative’ possess an even heavier significance in research ethics. Furthermore, the global and diverse nature of crisis settings often gives rise to conversations concerning the positioning of the research actor and the need to empower the research participant. This paper presents an early vision of the non-university research actor and ethical assurance process based on the democratic norms of equality and inclusivity.

Exploring the nexus between law and morality: ethical considerations in legal studies

This publication aims to furnish a comprehensive examination of the ethical elements inherent in the roles of judges, prosecutors, attorneys, and notaries, elucidating their influence on the content of pertinent legal statutes governing the professional status of these legal vocations. The research employed various methodologies, encompassing the analytical method, the synthetic method, the method of scientific generalization, the method of interpreting legal norms, and the formal-logical method. The examination of legal understanding from a moral and ethical perspective involves the scrutiny of two principal concepts: the concept of natural law and the concept of legal positivism. This analytical framework enables the author to assert that a hallmark of progressive law-making lies in the adherence to not only the tenets of natural human rights but also moral and ethical principles during the formulation of legislative acts. In the context of the role and significance of ethics in the professional conduct of judges, prosecutors, attorneys, and notaries, the author undertakes an analysis of pertinent Ukrainian laws. It is asserted that within each of the examined legal enactments, ethical requirements assume a predominant role in the regulation of the legal status of practitioners in the specified legal professions. For instance, the non-violation of rules of professional ethics is delineated as a fundamental duty for specific categories of legal practitioners, with breaches serving as grounds not only for disciplinary consequences but also for the termination of the authority. Building upon the aforementioned observations, it is affirmed that the ethical dimensions of jurisprudence hold significance within contemporary legal discourse across three dimensions: adherence to moral and ethical principles in the crafting of legislative instruments; avoidance of breaches against ethical principles in the course of judicial, prosecutorial, attorney-at-law, and notarial activities; and the imperative that moral and ethical requirements remain inviolate during the preparation of legally consequential documents.

Towards algorithms and models that we can trust: A theoretical perspective

In the last decade it became increasingly apparent the inability of technical metrics such as accuracy, sustainability, and non-regressiveness to well characterize the behavior of intelligent systems. In fact, they are nowadays requested to meet also ethical requirements such as explainability, fairness, robustness, and privacy increasing our trust in their use in the wild. Of course often technical and ethical metrics are in tension between each other but the final goal is to be able to develop a new generation of more responsible and trustworthy machine learning. In this paper, we focus our attention on machine learning algorithms and associated predictive models, questioning for the first time, from a theoretical perspective, if it is possible to simultaneously guarantee their performance in terms of both technical and ethical metrics towards machine learning algorithms that we can trust. In particular, we will investigate for the first time both theory and practice of deterministic and randomized algorithms and associated predictive models showing the advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches. For this purpose we will leverage the most recent advances coming from the statistical learning theory: Complexity-Based Methods, Distribution Stability, PAC-Bayes, and Differential Privacy. Results will show that it is possible to develop consistent algorithms which generate predictive models with guarantees on multiple trustworthiness metrics.

A detailed methodology for a three-dimensional, self-structuring bone model that supports the differentiation of osteoblasts towards osteocytes and the production of a complex collagen-rich mineralised matrix.

There are insufficient in vitro bone models that accommodate long-term culture of osteoblasts and support their differentiation to osteocytes. The increased demand for effective therapies for bone diseases, and the ethical requirement to replace animals in research, warrants the development of such models.Here we present an in-depth protocol to prepare, create and maintain three-dimensional, in vitro, self-structuring bone models that support osteocytogenesis and long-term osteoblast survival (>1 year). Osteoblastic cells are seeded on a fibrin hydrogel, cast between two beta-tricalcium phosphate anchors. Analytical methods optimised for these self-structuring bone model (SSBM) constructs, including RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence staining and XRF, are described in detail. Over time, the cells restructure and replace the initial matrix with a collagen-rich, mineralising one; and demonstrate differentiation towards osteocytes within 12 weeks of culture. Whilst optimised using a secondary human cell line (hFOB 1.19), this protocol readily accommodates osteoblasts from other species (rat and mouse) and origins (primary and secondary). This simple, straightforward method creates reproducible in vitro bone models that are responsive to exogenous stimuli, offering a versatile platform for conducting preclinical translatable research studies.

The relationship of rights and obligations: questions of theory

It is indicated that, in the modern period of conflicting legal norms, one of the means of ensuring the implementation and observance of constitutional obligations is the responsibility and sanctions of the norms of the current legislation. It is noted that in the modern world, with the rapid development of society, the issue of compliance with law and morality is becoming more and more necessary and relevant. That is why considerable attention should be paid to the consideration, analysis and research of these two concepts. Today, law and morality depend on each other. Norms of morality and law are the most widespread and quite important for society. They are intertwined in the process of social regulation, their demands coincide in many respects: what law allows or prohibits, and morality encourages or condemns. The interaction of morality and law in society is a very complex and diverse process. Strongly influencing morality, law contributes to its intensive implementation in the minds of all members of society, at the same time, under the influence of moral requirements, law constantly improves and elevates its role as a social regulator of social relations. The author emphasizes that the attitude to rights and duties in the context of a person’s legal status creates a rather complex problem for ethics and morality. On the one hand, theorists fix such qualities of moral demands as universality and a high level of commonality. Ethical theory in the sense of attitude to rights and duties inevitably uses as one of its bases the moral ideas of “ordinary man” or “ordinary human mind”. It cannot simply ignore moral intuitions, although it can make attempts to discredit some of them, especially if they contradict the main body of moral convictions and are not accompanied by absolute certainty. However, moral duties to have a different character. They are an integral component of the normative system of universal morality and have an almost axiomatic character for the “ordinary person”.

The establishment of a multiple myeloma clinical registry in the Asia–Pacific region: The Asia–Pacific Myeloma and Related Diseases Registry (APAC MRDR)

BackgroundMultiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common haematological cancer worldwide. Along with related diseases including monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), plasma cell leukaemia (PCL) and plasmacytoma, MM incidence is rising, yet it remains incurable and represents a significant disease burden. Clinical registries can provide important information on management and outcomes, and are vital platforms for clinical trials and other research. The Asia–Pacific Myeloma and Related Diseases Registry (APAC MRDR) was developed to monitor and explore variation in epidemiology, treatment regimens and their impact on clinical outcomes across this region. Here we describe the registry’s design and development, initial data, progress and future plans.MethodsThe APAC MRDR was established in 2018 as a multicentre collaboration across the Asia–Pacific, collecting prospective data on patients newly diagnosed with MM, MGUS, PCL and plasmacytoma in Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, with China recently joining. Development of the registry required a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, researchers, legal and information technology support, and financial resources, as well as local clinical context from key opinion leaders in the APAC region. Written informed consent is obtained and data are routinely collected throughout treatment by hospital staff. Data are stored securely, meeting all local privacy and ethics requirements. Data were collected from October 2018 to March 2024.ResultsOver 1700 patients from 24 hospitals have been enrolled onto the APAC MRDR to date, with the majority (86%) being newly diagnosed with MM. Bortezomib with an immunomodulatory drug was most frequently used in first-line MM therapy, and lenalidomide-based therapy was most common in second-line. Establishment and implementation challenges include regulatory and a range of operational issues.ConclusionThe APAC MRDR is providing ‘real-world’ data to participating sites, clinicians and policy-makers to explore factors influencing outcomes and survival, and to support high quality studies. It is already a valuable resource that will continue to grow and support research and clinical collaboration in MM and related diseases across the APAC region.

The Dilemma and Solution of Academic Ethics Construction for Graduate Students under the Three States of Consciousness View

Currently, relevant departments in China attach great importance to the construction of academic ethics for graduate students. At the same time, their expectations and requirements for graduate academic ethics are also increasing. However, incidents of graduate students violating academic ethical standards have occurred from time to time. It can be seen that the construction of academic ethics for graduate students still has a long way to go. The three states of consciousness view, as a three-dimensional comprehensive educational concept, takes consciousness forms, consciousness ecology and consciousness mentality as entry points. In addition, it conducts a comprehensive analysis of education from three dimensions, that is to say, macro, meso and micro. The construction of academic ethics for graduate students is also an important component of graduate education. Based on these understandings above-mentioned, this article applies the concept of the three states of consciousness to research on the construction of academic ethics for graduate students, providing some theoretical reflections on the difficulties and solutions of graduate academic ethics construction.

Identifying globally relevant learnings from Africa’s challenges and solutions to climate change and air pollution-related health impacts: a data science scoping review protocol

IntroductionLeveraging data science could significantly advance the understanding of the health impacts of climate change and air pollution to meet health systems’ needs and improve public health in Africa. This...

Symbiosis of Technology and Ethics: Preliminary Results of an Inquiry into the Moral Dimensions in the Use of Robotic Systems in Patient Care.

The present study aims to describe ethical and social requirements for technical and robotic systems for caregiving from the perspective of users. Users are interviewed in the ReduSys project during the development phase (prospective viewpoint) and after technology testing in the clinical setting (retrospective viewpoint). The preliminary results presented here refer to the prospective viewpoint.

Moral principles of advocacy: general provisions

This article, taking into account, first of all, the specifics of the legal status of a lawyer and lawyer activity in general, analyzes the essence of moral principles, as well as their importance in the context of ensuring the independence of a lawyer’s professional activity. The position is argued, according to which the possibility of practicing law at a high level is directly related to the strict observance of all moral requirements that apply to the legal profession and has a direct connection with the lawyer’s personality. Every lawyer should be aware that the lack of proper qualifications and non-compliance with moral principles results in the impossibility of ensuring the realization of the rights, freedoms and interests of persons who are the highest social value in society.
 The positions of both domestic and foreign scientists are analyzed, highlighting certain aspects of the independence and professionalism of the lawyer’s activity and their relationship with the moral principles that apply to the legal profession in general. It is concluded that moral principles are one of the foundations of ensuring the independent legal status of a lawyer, and a lawyer must proceed from the fact that all means and methods of lawyer activity must not only be legal, but must also meet the moral principles of society. Attention is drawn to the fact that the lawyer must, on the one hand, not forget the principle of prioritizing the client’s interests, and on the other hand, must proceed from the fact that the law and morality in his professional activity are higher than the will of his client.
 To reveal the stipulated tasks, and therefore, to achieve the set goal, the author used methods that are characteristic of legal science (systemic-structural, formal-dogmatic, comparative-legal), as well as the dialectical method of learning legal reality.