A series of three documentary films about the protection of human subjects in medical and behavioral research in the United States. Produced by the National Library of Medicine for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This short film recounts efforts in the 20th century to develop programs and procedures that protect human subjects of research. Citing selected historical events in behavioral and biomedical research, it shows how protections such as institutional review boards (IRBs) came about in the United States, and why they were needed.
View DetailsThis short film describes the three basic ethical principles that underlie research involving human subjects: respect for persons, beneficience, and justice. The film illustrates their application in case studies of biomedical and behavioral research; it also shows the principles at work in the resolution of ethical conflicts. These guiding principles are intended to protect research subjects, even as medicine and research continue to change over time.
View DetailsDr. Edmund Pellegrino, bioethicist and director of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, explains the basis for the criteria that an institutional review board (IRB) in the United States follows when reviewing research. He explains why IRB members might seek clarification or additional information from a researcher.
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