Every clinical research largely relies on the recruitment of volunteers. Why? Simply put, without patients no clinical trial will be possible to be implemented. The lack of people will not allow researchers to test medicinal products on anyone. When there is enough number of research participants, physicians can proceed on. The progress of trials, then, also depends on the researchers themselves. But most importantly, the proper development of all procedures lie within the responsibilities of the research conductors and how, precisely, they acknowledge ethics and rules. As part of Good Clinical Practices (GCPs) as well as Good Research Practices (GRPs), researchers are expected to follow certain ethical principles in order to ensure high quality of science and welfare of subjects.
Trials which are closely linked to human subjects may be performed only when the wellbeing of participants outweighs any possible risks. This is to suggest that the life of individuals should be placed before anything else. Therefore, clinical researchers are expected to meet ethical principles and rules so that no other person is put at severe, inappropriate and life-threatening situations. Such ethical principles include:
- Adequate selection of trial participants
People should be selected in a manner that eliminates risks and maximises benefits. Any bias in the recruitment of subjects should be minimised down to zero. All volunteers should be presented in the appropriate mental condition so that they can demonstrate complete comprehension of the treatment along with its advantages and disadvantages.
- Promising validity
Ensuring that the scientific methods of the study are relevant, doable and easy to understand by trial subjects is really important. Additionally, researchers should ensure that the trial design is also valid and it states out clear goals with reliable methods.
- Respect human rights
Safeguarding participants is rule number one when conducting a trial. Respectively, the healthcare team should respect and protect the rights, life, privacy, confidentiality and health of trial participants.
Finally, study volunteers have a leading role in the proper conduct of research processes. And because they are so important, it is part of researchers’ job to make sure that the rights, lives and privacy of participants are kept. No individual should be put at risk. Instead, they should be treated with utter care and respect. Ethical principles included in the Declaration of Helsinki are there to ensure that physicians know what to do in order to perform trials which are compliant with ethical demands and rules.
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