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

Ask students, “How might you design the study to address these problems?”Explain the concepts of blinding and placebo.Page 5-10, Steps 8–9Place the second container of “pills”—the placebos—on the table. Page 5-10, Step 10Explain that in a blind study, the researchers themselves don’t know which groupparticipants are in. Ask students why that might matter. Tell them that you (theteacher-researcher) will know which group students are in.Shuffe the envelopes (each containing a slip from Master 5.2), but do notdistribute them yet. Explain that they contain the group assignments.Page 5-10,Steps 11–12Page 5-10, Step 13Review these terms with the class: control group, placebo, standard of care, Page 5-11, Step 14randomized controlled trial, blind study, double-blind study, outcomes, andside effects.Ask, “What outcome measures could researchers use for this asthma study?” Page 5-11, Step 1512Activity 3: Two Key Ethical ConsiderationsEstimated Time: 10 minutesTell students that this module focuses on two ethical questions:• What are the features of ethically acceptable human research?• What is not ethically acceptable in research with humans?Explain that so far, the class has discussed how to best conduct an experimentfrom a scientific standpoint. Now, students will discuss what the most acceptableways to conduct an experiment with humans from an ethical standpoint are.Ask students questions that show how pressuring people to participate canbe disrespectful.Write down the guidelines researchers should follow as you discuss how toconduct an experiment ethically. Students should record these points.Introduce the concepts of coercion, undue inducement, and exploitation.Emphasize that it is disrespectful to coerce or unduly induce individuals intoparticipating in a study. Participants must give their voluntary consent.Referring to Master 5.1, ask students, “Do you feel that offering free movie passesis undue inducement?”Tell students that avoiding coercion and undue inducement is a way to respect aperson. A second way is to ensure that the person is informed about the study andpotential risks.Ask students, “Do you feel informed about the asthma-medication study? Whatmore do you want to know?” Discuss informed consent.Share the study’s risks with students. Ask them questions that show howimportant balancing harms (risks) and benefits is.Display the three important ethical practices in Step 14 as you discuss how toconduct experiments ethically, and ask students to record the practices.Module 5 5-19Page 5-11, Step 1Page 5-12, Steps 2–3Page 5-12, Step 4Page 5-12, Step 5Page 5-12, Steps 6–7Page 5-13, Step 8Page 5-13, Step 9Page 5-13,Steps 10–11Page 5-13,Steps 12–13Page 5-14, Step 143456