Ethical Considera0ons. Scien0fic Responsibility. Scien0fic Responsibility. History Ethical Guidelines Animal Research

Transcription

1 Ethical Considera0ons History Ethical Guidelines Animal Research Scien0fic Responsibility Researchers power over subjects Young students uncertain of their rights Trust in the integrity of the scien0st Scien0fic Responsibility Researchers responsibility to protect subjects from harm Children and animals Can t express concerns Can t choose to discon0nue research par0cipa0on 1

2 Ra0o of Benefit to Risk Ethics of subject treatment Assessed by considering Benefit to Risk ra0o Poten0al benefit to society Poten0al risk to an individual Guidelines for ethical research developed Brief History of Ethics Nuremberg Code United States Public Health Service Tuskegee experiment John Watson Condi0oning fear Stanley Milgram Obedience to authority Nuremberg Code Developed in 1948 Inspired by Nazi war crime trials War crime trials revealed horrifying atroci0es Research atroci0es 2

3 Nuremberg Code Risk/benefit assessment Voluntary consent Experiment benefits society and no alterna0ve is viable Protec0on of subjects from harm Subject allowed to discon0nue study Tuskegee Experiment Conducted in the United States Begin as an ethical study Turned into a highly unethical study Las0ng 40 years Inspired current distrust of public health professionals in Black community Philanthropic Beginnings Julius Rosenwald Fund Philanthropic organiza0on Approached United States Public Health Services (PHS) (1928) Assessed prevalence of syphilis PHS provided treatment for syphilis pa0ents 3

4 Syphilis Control Demonstra0on Projects Program expanded into 5 coun0es Supported by Rosenwald fund Program Goal Rural Blacks can be tested and treated for syphilis Tes0ng phase 34% - 40% Alabama par0cipants tested posi0ve Precursors to Tuskegee Study 1. Ques0ons about racial differences in syphilis history " Whites neurological system affected " Blacks cardiovascular system affected 2. Depression devastates Rosenwald fund resources " Not enough $$ for treatment phase Tuskegee as Scien0fic Study Prospec0ve study of living pa0ents Experiment examining effects of untreated syphilis High syphilis rates resulted in Alabama being chosen for study 4

5 Beginning of Tuskegee Study Original study popula0on 399 Black men with syphilis 201 uninfected controls Study designed to last for 6-9 months Turned into 40 year experiment Follow men to end point (autopsy) Tuskegee Subject Recruitment Poor, illiterate residents Tuskegee, AL Promised Free meals Free physical exams Free transporta0on Burial s0pends Tuskegee Ethical Problems Par0cipants never fully informed of research purpose or infec0on status Physicians did not try to educate them Infected par0cipants told they had bad blood Were not provided with informa0on needed to give informed consent 5

6 Tuskegee Ethical Problems Denied effec0ve treatment for syphilis Provided with treatment insufficient for curing syphilis Spinal taps given as treatment for bad blood Tuskegee Ethical Problems WWII drak board ordered syphilis treatment Persuaded to exclude Tuskegee par0cipants Clinics established by PHS Treat syphilis with penicillin (1943) Tuskegee par0cipants excluded Tuskegee Revealed Study con0nued for 40 years PHS official reported misconduct to Associated Press Washington Star ran front page news story (1972) Study was s0ll in progress at this 0me 6

7 No Scien0fic Knowledge Gained From Tuskegee Study Poorly run study from its incep0on Switching par0cipants from control to experimental group Experimental group received some treatment Longevity of study Minimal sense of personal responsibility and ethical concern Long Term Effects of Tuskegee Study Blacks distrust public health system Led to conspiracy theories Whites (govt.) against Blacks Conspiracy theories 1. HIV is a man- made weapon of racial warfare 2. Govt. promotes drug abuse in black communi0es APA Adop0on of Ethical Guidelines Nuremberg code limited to medical research APA proposed ethics were also important for psychology Damage due to emo0onal or mental conflict Ques0ons concerning poten0ally dangerous research 7

8 Condi0oning Fear John Watson & Rosalie Rayner Condi0oning Emo0onal Reac0ons Liple Albert Part of a project to study emo0ons Procedure Shown rat Rat touched Steel bar struck Obedience to Authority Milgram (1963) Obedience to authority Purpose Nazi holocaust Determine degree to which normal ci0zens obey unethical commands Careful debriefing Obedience to Authority: Cri0cisms Milgram s colleagues Put Ss through undue psychological stress Taught Ss difficult facts about themselves Failing to stop experiment Milgram s defense Careful debriefing 84% glad they had par0cipated APA strengthened ethical principles 8

9 Current Ethical Guidelines Respect for persons and their autonomy Beneficence and nonmaleficence Jus0ce Trust Fidelity and scien0fic integrity Respect and Autonomy Need to demonstrate respect for persons and their autonomy Ss should know what they are gerng in to Ss should be free to decide whether or not to cooperate Informed consent Wripen agreement to par0cipate in study Informed Consent Nature of the study Poten0al risks or inconvenience Confiden0ality Voluntary par0cipa0on 9

10 Beneficence and Nonmaleficence Beneficence Doing of good Nonmaleficence Not doing harm Assessed by the IRB Risk- benefit analysis of the proposed study Ins0tu0onal Review Board Made up of various members of the ins0tu0on Members from various disciplines Researchers fill out form for submission to IRB Informed consent, procedures, debriefing, purpose Expedited review Granted to minimal risk studies Risk- benefit Analysis Conducted for poten0ally sensi0ve studies Depends of defini0on of risks and benefits to society Passing study through IRB Some0mes depends on those making the decision Subjec0ve A B High Don t do Risk of doing research Diagonal of Indecision Do C D Low High Benefit of doing research 10

11 Jus0ce Burdens and benefits of research distributed fairly Study is as fair as possible Ethical dilemmas Therapy for addic0ons (example) Selec0on of treatment condi0on Trust Establishing a rela0onship of trust Debriefing Explaining the nature of the study Confiden0ality Data untraceable to par0cipant Data stored in a secure loca0on Anonymous par0cipa0on Coded data Cer0ficate of confiden0ality Fidelity and Scien0fic Integrity Foster scien0fic advances Lead to valid knowledge Poorly designed research Wastes resources May lead to invalid conclusions 11

12 The Use of Decep0on Not informed of the complete details of study Misleading informa0on about some of the procedures Informed consent (strict) No decep0on ever Informed consent (lenient) Decep0on only when necessary to promote natural behavior Milgram s Debriefing Opportunity for friendly reconcilia0on with learner Shown learner only pretended to receive shock Assured that other Ss performed similarly Received full report of procedures and results Ques0onnaires sent aker report Decep0on and the Debriefing Explana0on of research and reasons for decep0on Ensure that being deceived isn t a reflec0on of intelligence or moral character Debriefing proceeds carefully and pa0ently Ask for observa0ons of research situa0on NEVER use double decep0on 12

13 Animal Research 8% of psychological research conducted on animals Biological con0nui0es exist between animals and humans Con0nui0es raise ethical dilemmas Points Against Animal Research (Extreme View) Humans not superior to any other sen0ent species Speciesism Animals have same basic rights as humans Privacy, autonomy, freedom from harm Problems for advocates with extreme view Points Against Animal Research (Moderate View) Recognize the need for some medical research Reject other research Inflicts needless pain and suffering Alterna0ve approaches viable Effec0ve in reducing frivolous studies Alterna0ve approaches 13

14 Points for Animal Research Sen0ent animals do not have rights equal to humans Humans dis0nguishable from nonhumans Animal research is not exploita0on Beneficial to both animals and man APA Code for Animal Research Caring for animals Jus0fying study Using animals for educa0onal purposes Caring for Animals Expert research supervisor Veterinarian checks facili0es twice annually Animals acquired from legi0mate suppliers Aker study Alterna0ves to destruc0on considered 14

15 Jus0fying the Study Risk- to- Benefit ra0o Three jus0fiable categories of research 1. Increase knowledge of processes underlying behavior 2. Increase understanding of species under study 3. Provide results that benefit health or welfare Human or animal Educa0onal Use of Animals Animals used to educate students Does not directly result in new knowledge APA sugges0ons Use fewer animals Consider alterna0ves Videotape Computer simula0ons 15