Exploring Bioethics - NIH Office of Science Education - National ...

1Module 5Research Ethics: The Power and Perilof Human Experimentation2Four Key Questionsto AlwaysAsk Yourself• What is the ethical question?• What are the relevant facts?• Who or what could be affected by the way thequestion gets resolved?• What are the relevant ethical considerations?See theIntroductionFor more information about thefour key questions, see theIntroduction, page 5.3Ethical Considerations Relevant to This Module*Respect for PersonsHarms and Benefits• What kinds of actions and offers byresearchers can undermine voluntary,informed consent and, hence, bedisrespectful?• Are the likely harms (risks) and benefits tothe individual participant acceptable?• If a participant is unlikely to directlybenefit from research, what level of risk isethically acceptable?See Module 1Students are introduced to thefour key questions and ethicalconsiderations in Module 1.Modules 2–6 assume this priorknowledge. We strongly recommendthat you complete Module 1first with your students, beforestarting any of the other modules.4Fairness• Are all groups that are likely to benefit from theresearch represented among those being recruitedas participants? In other words, will all groups shareequally in the burdens, as well as in the potentialbenefits, of the research?5*Bold items are emphasized in this module.5-16