Bioethical Issues on Human Subject Research
Medical research is an essential aspect of the healthcare sector, given that it helps to come up with new and improved ways of solving existing medical problems. However, according to findings from the Belmont report, it was identified that there are specific outlined guidelines that are required to be followed when using human subjects in the field of research. According to the Belmont Report, the necessity for ethical guidelines is essential to ensure that there is respect for the sacred nature of the human body (Miracle, 2016).
Taking into account the use of prisoners as well as children in human subject research, the report outlines the various necessities. These include consent upon clear presentation of the procedures to be followed as well as the possible complications among other factors. According to the Belmont Report, it is necessary to ensure that the human subject is provided with the full coverage so that they can be fully aware of the implications of being used as a human subject.
There are also ethical concerns concerning exposure as well as other forms of mutilation that may be experienced. Minimal risk is an ethical guideline that requires to be adhered to given that any research putting the subject healthy wellbeing at risk could be against the universal right to life. On the other hand, there is also the need to conduct in-depth consent research regarding using children’s subjects, given that they may not be aware of what they are being signed up for (Miracle, 2016). As a result, the primary caregiver of the child subject is charged with the task of ensuring that any form of consent given for the child to be used as a subject in the scientific research doesn’t put them in the direct line of danger.
References
Miracle, V. A. (2016). The Belmont Report: The triple crown of research ethics. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 35(4), 223-228.