Codes of ethics governing research involving human subjects above the interests of science and society <see the Nuremberg Code>. However, there are a flurry of examples from history where investigators have failed to adequately address the unique social, behavioural and ethical issues that surround vaccine research. The hazard of researchers repeating prior errors and exposing painful wounds that originated in the colonial era in part stem from our limited understanding of the ethical and behavioural issues. In 1989, the WHO issued a statement on vaccine testing that made limited reference to ethical and social issues, but little has been done since to update or modify it.
Many
people believe that investigators do not need to provide better care for
"voluntarily consenting" <see The Belmont
Report> individuals than is generally available in the community to
which the subjects belong. The argument goes that these individuals are
no worse off than if they were not in the study. I pause to ask you...should
the standards that govern scientific research vary with the political and
economic conditions of the region.
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This
webpage seeks to present and discuss the current international principles
that have been established to guide investigators in the context of past
and present research studies. However, it should be kept in mind that this
webpage has been created by an undergraduate student at Brown University
in partial fulfillment of my undergraduate
course work. I have tried my best to present a fair and unbiased picture
of the ethical issues we are faced with today, however, if you feel that
I have not done a thourough job please feel free to contact me with comments
and suggestions.
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at Natasha_Chinai@brown.edu