Assignment 2, Belmont Report

These are my responses to the questions regarding the Belmont Report:

1) What were some of the events that caused the Belmont report to be written?

The Belmont Report was written to make sure that research and experimental studies involving the use of human subjects would be carried out and performed in an ethical manner. There were several examples of abuse cases stated in the report such as biomedical experiments performed during World War II and biomedical experiments performed on concentration camp prisoners. This is what the Nuremberg War Crime Trials focused on; thereby drafting what became to be known as the Nuremberg code. The code laid down rules to help guide the researcher or experimenter with their study and assured that human subjects would not be in danger.

2) What are the "Basic Ethical Principles" cited in the Belmont Report?

The three basic ethical principles that are cited in the Belmont Report are:
1) Respect for Persons
2) Beneficence
3) Justice

The Respect for Persons states that people should be autonomous and free to think how they feel. Nothing should obstruct their actions or thoughts and they should be allowed to act out their true inner feelings. Beneficence is usually concerned with 'acts of kindness' but it should also protect and respect the persons decisions and opinions. Most importantly, the person should be protected from any harm, whether physical or emotional. Finally, the word justice is a principle that makes sure that everyone is treated fairly.

3) How are the "Basic Ethical Principles" assured in research practice?

The basic ethical principles are assured in research practice by:
1) Informed consent
a) Information
b) Comprehension
c) Voluntariness
2) Assessment of risks and benefits
a) The nature and scope of risks and benefits
b) The systematic assessment of risks and benefits
3) Selection of subjects

The people who are asked to participate in the research are given all information regarding the research, including risks and benefits. The information should be written in a manner that is understandable to the subjects. They should be given the opportunity to back out of the study at any time. All risks and benefits should be closely examined to assure that the subjects will not be harmed or damaged. If there is a chance this may occur, the subject should be aware of this risk in advance, whether the risks are psychological or physical. Finally, the selection of the subjects states there should be a fair process in the selection of the subjects and in the outcomes of the research. There are basically two levels of selection of subjects: social and individual. With individual justice, the researchers would need to show fairness in the selection process of the individuals. In other words, do not select an undesirable subject for research that has a probability of a risky outcome. The social justice states that the selection of classes of subjects should be fair. For example, researchers should not select all of the adults before selecting the children in a study.