Ethics in medical research. A handbook of good practice

Author(s): Smith, Trevor
Document type: Book
Year: 1999
Pages: 422
Source: Publishing house: Cambridge University Press (Cambridge)
Language(s): English

Classification

National background: Great Britain
Category: EU Training Material for Research Ethics
Subject areas: Conflict of interest; Embryo research, stem cell research; Experimentation on human material; Human experimentation; Information (data protection, privacy etc.)
Content: Important codes; Legal background
Issues touched: Autonomy, respect, informed consent, subjects unable to consent, role of representatives Beneficence, non-maleficence, risk for the subject Justice, benefits/burdens, research without benefit for the subject, placebos/standard therapy; Protection of privacy, data protection, biological material Vulnerable groups, soldiers, prisoners, pregnant women, elderly people International research, research in developing countries; Social impact of research, economic benefits, risks for third parties Social background of research, conflicts of interest, researcher vs. doctor, commercialisation; Ethics committees, research protocols Research on animals
Audience: Members of ethics committees; Scientists
Classification remarks: Primarily addressing members of research ethics committees and scientists.

Estimation

Theoretical quality remarks: Hardly any theoretical background is given throughout the book.
Didactical quality: Didactically prepared material
Overall estimation: worth considering
Estimation remarks: Many issues of research ethics are covered by the book; it provides a hands-on a approach, primarily intended for researchers and members of ethics committees. Unfortunately, hardly any philosophical background is given throughout the book.