AAAS - Scientific Freedom, Responsibility and Law

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HUMAN SUBJECTS RESEARCH

Human subjects must be protected when conducting clinical trials and basic research. Ethics guidelines and government regulations are in place to safeguard the well-being of all those involved in human subjects research. In the past, SFRL has offered a course to guide scientists on such sensitive topics as racial and ethnic minorities as human subjects, and a workshop on the ethical and legal implications of research with human subjects on the internet.

Short Course on Research Ethics: Racial and Ethnic Minorities as Research Subjects
[2000-2001]

Some topics covered in the courses include: theoretical frameworks for understanding the concepts of race and ethnicity; issues affecting recruitment and retention; issues associated with international, cross-cultural research; practical skills for securing informed consent and working with interpreters; and analysis of justice questions relating to the history of the treatment of racial and ethnic minority research subjects. More…

Ethical and Legal Implications of Human Subjects Research on the Internet
[1999]

As cyberspace rapidly becomes a rich medium for communication and the number of users increases, it is becoming an attractive target for social and behavioral research. The ease with which the cyberspace medium allows for these types of studies also raises issues about the ethical and legal dimensions of such research. More...