Scientific Code of Ethics

Scientific research requires ethics.

Science has advanced significantly in the modern era, but our ethical understanding of the implications of technological applications of new discoveries have not necessarily kept pace with these developments. We can harness the power of the atom to power whole cities, but at the same time the atom brings unprecedented levels of destructive potential. We have mapped the DNA sequence shared by all human beings, but we have not been able to ignore our racial, religious and tribal differences to avoid brutal wars. Scientific advances applied to unethical causes are sources of great human suffering, and therefore ethical training is necessary for scientists to understand the implications of their research.

History

Autopsy table in concentration camp

Ethical codes have regulated western medical science since the Hippocratic oath of the fourth century BC, continuing through the renaissance as doctors discovered the value of autopsies. During the Nazi period, a neglect for ethical values allowed German researchers to conduct horrific experiments on concentration camp inmates, prompting many associations dedicated to scientific research to promote the study of ethics and impose regulatory standards, from the Nuremberg Code (1947), to the "Kefauver Harris Amendment" to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (1962), to the Declaration of Helsinki (1964--) and others.

Truth in Research

Research on new drugs must be reported accurately

Many ethical codes emphasize the importance of truth in research, reporting data and results responsibly to ensure scientific reliability. This is especially important when dealing with the creation of new drugs or procedures for human use. These codes typically lay out the best practices, whereas others stipulate procedures that ban receipt of federal funding. Scientific codes of ethics promote accurate reporting of potential side effects of new drugs, or the dangers of new technologies.

Animal Subjects

Mice are often used in scientific research

Much medical and commercial research is based on experimentation with animal subjects, often inflicting pain and death. The beneficial impact for humans is significant, particularly in terms of developing medical technologies that cure disease and limit suffering. Scientific codes of ethics set clear limits on the scope and nature of testing on animal subjects, including the number and size of the animals involved, procedures to limit the animal's pain and suffering and encouraging the use of computerized models whenever possible.

Human Subjects

Doing an operation without informed consent is unethical

Research can also be conducted with human subjects, and on numerous unfortunate occasions scientists have ignored basic legal and moral guidelines in misguided attempts to further human knowledge. Essential to a scientific code of ethics is the need for informed consent on the part of all human subjects involved in research, requiring that subjects in a study are mentally competent and aware of the risks involved in participating in a given research project.

Social Implications of Research

Nuclear power must be regulated

Biomedical technology is one of the most significant areas requiring clear ethical directives, particularly given the expansion of reproductive and even cloning technologies, but other scientific fields also need guidance. Nuclear power and computer-guided remote devices, for example, can be directed to extremely productive technological applications, but can also be harnessed to military or even terrorist purposes. Scientists need codes of ethics to understand the larger social implications of their research outside the walls of the laboratory.

References

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: What is Ethics in Research and Why Is It Important?
• National Institutes of Health: The Hippocratic Oath
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Code of Federal Regulations
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas: History of Research Ethics
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: U.S. Government Principles for the Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals

Resources

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Online Research Ethics Course
• The Scientist: NSF Adopts New Ethics Rules
• American Journal of Pathology; A History of the Autopsy. A Review.