Ethical Principals for Protecting Research Participants
Ethical Principals for Protecting Research Participants
Participating in a research study is an opportunity for people to contribute to the advancement of healthcare practice or other measures. Researchers typically collect data from a population of people that share common characteristics that make them appropriate subjects for the area being studied. In order to assure that participants are adequately protected, a set of ethical principles should be adhered to by all research facilitators. “The Belmont Report articulates three primary ethical principles on which standards of ethical conduct in research are based: beneficence, respect for human dignity, and justice” (Beck & Polit, 2006).
The principle of beneficence serves to minimize harm to participants, maximize the benefits of the study, and protect the participant from any form of exploitation. “In research with humans, harm and discomfort can take many forms: they can be physical, emotional, social, or financial” (Beck & Polit, 2006). Facilitators of any research study must be conscious of this and use strategies to alleviate potential of such harm. Ethical researchers must be prepared to terminate their study if any evidence of distress on the participants is discovered. Another duty that researchers face is to protect participants from exploitation. “Involvement in a study should not place participants at a disadvantage or expose them to situations that they have not been prepared” (Beck & Polit, 2006). In summary, participants must feel secure that the information they provide will not be used against them in any fashion.
The second ethical principle addressed by The Belmont Report is the respect for human dignity. Study participants have the right to self-determination, or the capability to control their own activities. This right encompasses the ability to ask questions, refuse to provide information, or even withdraw from a study without
Participating in a research study is an opportunity for people to contribute to the advancement of healthcare practice or other measures. Researchers typically collect data from a population of people that share common characteristics that make them appropriate subjects for the area being studied. In order to assure that participants are adequately protected, a set of ethical principles should be adhered to by all research facilitators. “The Belmont Report articulates three primary ethical principles on which standards of ethical conduct in research are based: beneficence, respect for human dignity, and justice” (Beck & Polit, 2006).
The principle of beneficence serves to minimize harm to participants, maximize the benefits of the study, and protect the participant from any form of exploitation. “In research with humans, harm and discomfort can take many forms: they can be physical, emotional, social, or financial” (Beck & Polit, 2006). Facilitators of any research study must be conscious of this and use strategies to alleviate potential of such harm. Ethical researchers must be prepared to terminate their study if any evidence of distress on the participants is discovered. Another duty that researchers face is to protect participants from exploitation. “Involvement in a study should not place participants at a disadvantage or expose them to situations that they have not been prepared” (Beck & Polit, 2006). In summary, participants must feel secure that the information they provide will not be used against them in any fashion.
The second ethical principle addressed by The Belmont Report is the respect for human dignity. Study participants have the right to self-determination, or the capability to control their own activities. This right encompasses the ability to ask questions, refuse to provide information, or even withdraw from a study without