Ethics and values in Research

Question 1

What is the difference between values and ethics?

Answer 1

Values are individual beliefs that we hold to have merit, are decent and moral.
Ethics is the moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity. Ethics is concerned with distinguishing between good and evil in the world, between right and wrong human actions and between virtuous and non-virtuous characteristics of people.

Question 2

What are the basic human rights in research?

Answer 2

• The right to not be harmed physically, psychologically or emotionally (Beneficence)
• The right to treatment (Justice & fairness)
• The right to self-determination & autonomy (respect, informed consent, refusal, nil coercion)
• The right to privacy (participants must not be able to be identified)

Question 3

What must the participant be aware of to give informed consent?

Answer 3

• Researcher credentials & contact information
• Purpose & significance
• Selection criteria
• Requirements and time commitment
• Risks, discomfort/distress
• Privacy (who will see the data & how its protected)
• their consent is voluntary & can withdraw at any time
• Any re-imbursements for expenses or time

Question 4

What does NHMRC stand for?

Answer 4

National health & medical research council

Question 5

List four vulnerable groups in research?

Answer 5

• children & foetuses
• mentally ill
• intellectually disabled
• impaired cognition or consciousness
• people with life-limiting illness
• Prisoners
• Armed forces personnel
• Students or employees
• Indigenous or CALD groups

Question 6

what is the purpose of human research ethics committees?

Answer 6

• Assess the scientific merit of a project

- Assess the risk to participants that the project poses

Question 7

What do ethics committees consider when approving research studies?

Answer 7

• data collection methods
• special groups
• Relationship between the researcher & participants
• confidentiality & privacy
• Incentives & inducements
• The research report
• study location

Question 8

How does a conflict of interest impact a study?

Answer 8

A conflict of interest may compromise the research process itself and/or the institutional processes governing research, and may lead researchers or institutions to base decisions about the research on factors outside the research requirements

Question 9

What are the 10 points of the Nuremburg code?

Answer 9

1. Researchers must inform participants about their studies and obtain voluntary consent
2. Research must be for the good of the society
3. Where possible animals should be used for experiments rather than humans
4. Researchers must avoid harming participants
5. No study must be undertaken where serious injury or death might occur
6. The degree of risk must not outweigh the benefit of the study
7. Proper facilities and preparation must be made to protect participants from harm
8. Researchers must be qualified to undertake research
9. Participants can stop the research if problems arise
10. Researcher must cease the study if they believe that an unacceptable risk to participants has arisen

Question 10

what is the Declaration of Helsinki and when did it occur ?

Answer 10

That the declaration of Helsinki came about in June 1964 and is a set of ethical principles regarding human experimentation developed for the medical community by the World Medical Association (WMA). It is widely regarded as the cornerstone document on human research ethics.
It is the duty of the physician to promote and safeguard the health of patients, including those who are involved in medical research. The physician’s knowledge and conscience are dedicated to the fulfilment of this duty.