Often, researchers know prior to or early into a research study that treatment s

Question

Often, researchers know prior to or early into a research study that treatment subjects are getting a significantly beneficial treatment and that control subjects can never catch up and may suffer significant health risk or even death by getting a placebo rather than the experimental treatment. What ethical questions are raised by these situations? Similarly, is it ethical to try new drugs or experimental procedures or terminally ill patients? What ethical issues are raised by research conducted with terminally ill patients in this regard?

Explanation / Answer

What ethical questions are raised by these situations? Similarly, is it ethical to try new drugs or experimental procedures or terminally ill patients? What ethical issues are raised by research conducted with terminally ill patients in this regard?

The ethical question that might come Up in this situation is of informed consent, beneficence and non maleficence. In case the control people are not aware that they might never be able to recover, it would mean that they are taking part in an experiment without knowing the actual consequences. Hence, it is unethical on the basis of informed consent. Also, on the aspect of beneficence and non maleficence, there is violation of ethics. Since neither the benefit of the control group is taken care and maleficence (harm) to The patients is occurring, all three aspects are violated.

Is it ethical to try new drugs or experimental procedures or terminally ill patients? What ethical issues are raised by research conducted with terminally ill patients in this regard?

It may be ethical to try new drugs for terminally ill patients, provided the patients have been informed of every consequence that might occur to the patient, after consumption of those drugs. Also, if after knowing every consequence, the patients are subjecting themselves to the treatment m there may not be a problem. Moreover, even terminally ill patients have the chance of getting cured, hence, without consent such procedures should not be carried out.

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