Research ethics committees (RECs) have a crucial role in protecting children in research. However, studies on REC members' perspectives on paediatric research are scarce. We conducted a qualitative study to explore Swedish scientific REC members' perspectives on ethical aspects in applications involving children with severe health conditions. The…

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and their federal overseers protect human subjects, but this vital work is often dysfunctional despite their conscientious efforts. A cardinal, but unrecognized, explanation is that IRBs are performing a specific function -- the management of risk -- using a flawed theoretical and practical approach. At the time…

The significance of biorepositories has been known for many years but the latest advances in clinical and translational research and increased collaborations among investigators have made biorepositories even more prominent. Biorepositories collect and store human tissue and serum samples used in both the research and treatment of disease. In…

Ethical, Legal and Social Implications ("ELSI") research has played an increasingly important role in scientific research. Tens of millions of dollars, many of which are public, are spent funding scientific research projects. Taxpayers are demanding that scientific advancement move forward, hand-in-hand with careful examination of the many ethical…

In 1999 Romania became part of the Bologna process, focused on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, design to increase the compatibility of European universities, ensuring the mobility of students and professors in the context of re-orienting education to the formation of competences continuously adapted to market requirements.…

A discussion of resource allocation for scientific research identifies the ethical principles underlying the present debate and begins to construct a framework for evaluating various resource allocation proposals. The intent is to promote greater consideration of the link between ethics and science resource allocations. (Author/MSE)

A discussion of fraud in the presentation of results of scientific research cites cases looks at variations in the degree of misrepresentation, kinds and intents of fraud, attention given by public agencies (National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Public Health Service), and differences between scientific and civil fraud. (MSE)

Public confidence in the results of research conducted by universities and research and development laboratories is being threatened by the disclosure of instances of ineptitude, plagiarism, and outright fraud at some of our most prestigious institutions. Pressures for consistent success in research can promote an environment conducive to…

The following administrative aspects of scientific experimentation with human subjects are discussed: the definition of human experimentation; the distinction between experimentation and treatment; investigator responsibility; documentation; the elements and principles of informed consent; and the administrator's role in establishing and…

University-based weapons laboratories are often assumed to be objective, scientific organizations with no direct financial stake in a particular weapons system, but they are in fact dependent on weapons systems for their continued funding and existence, sometimes lobbying in violation of federal policy. (MSE)

University management of research on nuclear weaponry provides better scientific results and more independent advice than would be possible under government or industry management. (MSE)

Programs that teach scientific ethics must maintain vigilance against scientific misconduct; prepare scientists to deal with ethical ambiguity; and stress the importance of consultation and consensus, adherence to accepted standards of evidence, and commitment to due process using procedures established in advance. (Author/MSE)

The evolution of research misconduct policies in universities is traced since the late 1970s. It is argued that research universities have been slow to accept responsibility for research misconduct, and they are urged to examine their research environments and place more emphasis on research ethics education. (MSE)

The Public Health Service's Office of Research Integrity, charged with investigating allegations of research misconduct, is addressing charges of inefficiency by speeding up inquiries and reducing the backlog of cases. However, concern persists about the quality of investigations and the agency's power. Some feel the agency relies too heavily on…