Ethical Issues in Basic Sciences & Pre-clinical Research

Question 1

Core values in scientific research

Answer 1

• To make interesting observations/discoveries
• Find out info to help elucidate the mechanistic understanding of the observations
• Gain understanding of broader principle on scientific logics through mechanistic understanding of observations

Question 2

Why do scientists cheat?

Answer 2

• Pressures for publishing & to obtain funding for research
• Research culture in the lab
• Dangerous habits to outright cheating

Question 3

Why is the scale of the problem difficult to be assessed?

Answer 3

• Problems reported mostly for studies published in top journals (Nature, Science, Cell etc)
• Cheated (esp in subset of data panel) difficult to be detected
• No one wants to be whistleblower

Question 4

Damages caused by scientific misconduct

Answer 4

1) Erosion of trust (colleagues & funding agencies)

2) Adversely affect progress of other scientists in the field
- Time & resources lost in reproducing results & doing experiments based on alleged insights reported in the study

3) Lower productivity of scientific research
- Research funds diverted to monitor & enforce research integrity & to investigate misconduct cases

Question 5

What constitutes Research Integrity?

Answer 5

• Includes rigour, care, accountability & not just the avoidance of wrongdoing (plagiarism, fabrication, falsification)

Question 6

IRB

Answer 6

To protect the rights & welfare of human research subjects in research activities

Question 7

Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR)

Answer 7

• Improve human & veterinary health by promoting public understanding & support for humane & responsible animal research
• Monitors & analyses the activities of animal activists
• Promotes public unds of ethics & values of animal research

Question 8

Mission of FBR

Answer 8

To educate public of essential role of humane animal research in the quest for medical advancements, treatments & cures for both humans & animals

Question 9

Importance of Animal Research

Answer 9

• Plays vital role in virtually every major medical advance
• -> survival rates for many other major diseases are at an all-time high bc of discovery of new drugs, development of new surgical procedures & design of sophisticated medical devices
• Extrapolate data from animals to humans
• Supra-therapeutic doses to illuminate toxicities in human (estimating TW, find out on-target & off-target effects)

Question 10

Animal research facilities

Answer 10

• Advanced animal facilities

- High standard in hygiene, husbandry & animal care procedures are being practiced

Question 11

Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee

Answer 11

• To monitor & enforce high standard of care for animals in research
• Research protocols involving animals have to be carefully evaluated by IACUC b/f research can be initiated
• Approved protocols require periodic review
• Research staffs will only gain access to animals after successful completion of courses in animal care as organised by IACUC