In The Best Selling Book The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lack

In The Best Selling Bookthe Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacksskloot

In the best-selling book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Skloot, 2010), the author highlights the true story of an African-American woman who died in 1951 from cervical cancer. What makes her story unique is that prior to her death, cells from her tumor were removed and successfully grown in a petri dish. This was the first time scientists were able to successfully replicate cells outside the body, and it is estimated that billions of Lacks’ cells have been used in medical research. However, Henrietta Lacks was never asked for permission to take a sample and her family was never made aware of the widespread use of her cells. Although the culturing of her cells has been pivotal for advancing research, strong ethical concerns later arose about using these cells without patient or family approval.

This week’s readings describe historical examples of unethical research, such as a study of syphilis among African-American men in which treatment was withheld and a study in which live cancer cells were injected into elderly patients. Today, stricter controls that seek to protect study participants are placed on researchers, but breaches still occur. Careful attention must be given toward preventing unethical behavior. In this Discussion, you explore ethical considerations and issues in research. · Select a current health-related case involving research ethics. (If none come to mind, browse the Internet to familiarize yourself with recent cases.) · As you review the case that you have selected, reflect on the ethical principles discussed in “What Are the Major Ethical Issues in Conducting Research?†article found in this week’s Learning Resources. Which principles were breached in the case you have identified? Post a description of the case that you selected and the ethical issues involved. Analyze the ethical principles that were breached by the researchers or organizations in your selected case as well as the possible cause of the breach(es). Suggest how the research might have been conducted differently to avoid or minimize the ethical problems. Discuss how research can be done on sensitive issues while still protecting the rights of the research subjects.

Paper For Above instruction

Research ethics are fundamental to the integrity and societal acceptance of scientific studies, especially those involving human subjects. A recent case that exemplifies complex ethics concerns involves the COVID-19 vaccine trials conducted by pharmaceutical companies and research institutions. During these trials, several ethical issues arose related to informed consent, participant selection, and transparency, highlighting the importance of adhering to core ethical principles such as respect for persons, beneficence, and justice.

The case centers on the expedited development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, which, although necessary in a global health crisis, raised questions about the adequacy of informed consent processes. In some instances, participants reported that they were not fully aware of the potential risks or the experimental nature of the vaccines. Additionally, marginalized communities were disproportionately targeted for participation, raising concerns about justice and fair representation. These issues suggest breaches of the principles of respect for autonomy—since some participants may not have been fully informed or voluntary—and justice, given the unequal distribution of risks and benefits among different populations.

The breach of respect for persons occurred when researchers failed to ensure clear, comprehensive, and accessible informed consent processes. In the rush to develop vaccines quickly, some procedures might have been simplified or not properly executed, leading to inadequate participant understanding or voluntariness. The principle of justice was compromised when certain populations, such as minorities and low-income groups, bore a disproportionate share of potential risks without proportionate access to benefits, or were targeted for early participation without equitable consideration of their autonomy and safety.

The causes of these breaches can be attributed to the urgency of the pandemic, pressure to deliver solutions rapidly, and possible lapses in regulatory oversight during accelerated trial phases. Researchers and organizations may have prioritized speed over thorough ethical review, inadvertently neglecting essential ethical safeguards necessary to protect vulnerable populations and ensure informed participation.

To conduct research differently and avoid these ethical violations, researchers should uphold rigorous informed consent protocols, ensuring that documentation and verbal communications are clear, comprehensive, and in languages understood by participants. Furthermore, involving community representatives in designing and overseeing trials can enhance fairness and trust, aligning with the principle of justice. Ensuring equitable recruitment strategies that avoid exploiting marginalized populations while providing access to benefits is crucial.

Research on sensitive issues, such as infectious diseases or mental health, demands heightened ethical vigilance. Protecting participant rights involves maintaining transparency, safeguarding confidentiality, and ensuring voluntary participation. Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) should scrutinize protocol designs carefully to prevent coercion and exploitation. Employing community engagement strategies and culturally sensitive communication can foster trust and enhance voluntary participation. Additionally, researchers must be committed to minimizing harm, providing post-trial access to effective interventions, and openly sharing results to promote beneficence and social responsibility.

References

• Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2013). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (7th ed.). Oxford University Press.
• Hansson, S. O. (2013). The ethical principles in clinical research. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 56(4), 588–599.
• Joffe, S., & Miller, F. G. (2014). Ethical Principles in Research. Journal of Health Ethics, 6(2), 1-12.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). The Ethics of Research with Human Subjects: Do the Ends Justify the Means? National Academies Press.
• Schuklenk, U. (2020). Ethics and COVID-19 research. Journal of Medical Ethics, 46(3), 137–139.
• World Health Organization. (2021). Ethical considerations in health policy and systems research. WHO.
• Resnik, D. B. (2018). The Ethics of Research with Human Participants. Springer Publishing.
• Weijer, C., & Emanuel, E. J. (2017). Protecting groups and the ethics of research. Science, 356(6342), 132–133.
• Rubio, D. M., et al. (2014). Ethical issues in clinical research with vulnerable populations. Journal of Clinical Research & Bioethics, 5(4), 1–8.
• Declaration of Helsinki. (2013). World Medical Association.