Suchergebnisse

This issue of JERHRE introduces the concept of hidden ethics—empirical data relevant to ethical problem-solving that does not appear in the ethics literature and is difficult to access. Three related research agendas are suggested concerning methods of finding this literature, scope of inquiry, and synthesis of new knowledge about ethical problem-solving. This issue also introduces the complexities and uncertainties that face persons when deciding whether to participate in Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials. Finally, it introduces a rigorous statistical approach to determining whether an incentive can be large enough to influence subjects to take risks they ordinarily would not take, and thus sets as a research agenda the further exploration of the generalizability of this method and the current findings.

In addition to the research agendas accompanying each article in this issue, overarching research agendas are suggested concerning (a) measuring ethics-related constructs, (b) online discussions of treatment and research options, and (c) understanding patients' perceptions of burdens and benefits of longitudinal research. These agendas are discussed briefly and examples of specific research are suggested.

This issue of JERHRE focuses on various kinds of vulnerability: Those of institutions due to poor detection of risk, and those of research participants who fall into subpopulations considered vulnerable. These problems suggest many fruitful forms of research that can advance understanding of ways to better protect human subjects, research activities, and institutions.

This issue of JERHRE focuses on two topics that have been largely ignored—trust in the human research industry and structural factors that affect the efficacy of ethical review of human research (i.e., factors that are not under the control of ethics committee members, such as the funding of committee resources and the provision of clear workable regulations). Trust and an adequate ethical infrastructure are integral to one another. Ethical capacity does not reside with an ethics committee alone, but springs from four foundations of ethical research. It derives from (a) national bodies that regulate research and clarify the ethical principles that are promulgated, (b) the institutional research administrations that finance and build the needed infrastructure, (c) the ethics committees that struggle to operate within this system, and (d) the individual disciplines and departments that should work collaboratively with investigators and ethics committees to provide needed expertise. Research on trust and adequate ethical review needs to be mindful of the larger dynamic system within which ethical oversight occurs, and how failure of any of its four major components weakens its other components.

All three of the nontraditional research methods featured in this issue raise ethical concerns that typically are not matters in which ethics committees have expertise or consider within their purview. These are matters of considerable importance to the investigators, the research participants, and the reputation of human research. All are matters that perhaps only concerned researchers can explore in the course of their experience as researchers.

This issue of JERHRE focuses on problems of harmonizing discrepant cultural values, and on new approaches to improving ethics committee performance. The examples of these problems merely scratch the surface and invite a wide range of subsequent research on the kinds of questions raised.

Introduces a symposium dedicated to the Swedish European Union Council Presidency, which was inspired by a conference held at the Embassy of Sweden in London, UK, on 25-26 Oct 2001. 1 Reference.

In response to the urgent need to develop a policy-oriented global research agenda to address climate change the UN University Institute for Environment & Human Security, the International Organization for Migration, & the UN Environment Program brought together experts to assess current knowledge & identify research priority areas in three key areas: measurement/identification; interactions/linkages; & scenarios/policy. Four imperatives for further work on environmental migration were identified: 1) a systematic review of available research; 2) a global multi-disciplinary research program; 3) information/knowledge management; & 4) capacity-building projects. Adapted from the source document.