This document presents an overview of ethics with respect to science and research. It begins with definitions of ethics and discusses ethical theories like deontology, teleology, and utilitarianism. It then examines important historical events that shaped modern research ethics like the Nazi medical experiments and the Nuremberg Code. The document outlines principles for ethical research like informed consent and protecting vulnerable subjects. It discusses ethical concerns in qualitative and quantitative research and emphasizes the importance of ethics in protecting participants and ensuring research is conducted safely and for the benefit of all.

1. Aryabhatta Knowledge University
Aryabhatta Centre of Nanoscience &
Nanotechnology
Manu Shreshtha
19601601008
MTech Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (2019-21)
Aryabhatta Center For Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Aryabhatta Knowledge University, Patna
Presentation
on
Ethics With Respect To Science & Research
Guided by:
Dr Rakesh Kumar Singh

2. ETHICS WITH RESPECT
TO SCIENCE AND
RESEARCH
By: Manu Shreshtha

3. Content
1. Definition
2. Whatethicsisandwhatisitnot?
3. Ethical Theories
4. Historical Events & Development of Code of Ethics
i. Nazi Medical Experiments (1933-1945)
ii. Nuremberg Code-1949
iii. Declaration of Helsinki (1964)
iv. Tuskegee Syphilis Study 1932
v. Willowbrook Study (1950-1970)
vi. Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital Study 1960

4. Content
6. Importance of Ethics in Research
7. The Principle of Respect For Human Dignity
8. Informed Consent
9. Vulnerable Subject
10. Ethical Concerns in Qualitative Research
11. Ethical Concerns in Quantitative Research
12. Conclusion
13. Reference

5. ◦ ETHICS-Greek word: ethos=custom or convention, or the spirit of community
◦ Moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity: Oxford
dictionary (2014)
◦ The branch of philosophy that deals with morality. Ethics is concerned with distinguishing
between good and evil in the world, between right and wrong human actions, and between
virtuous and non virtuous characteristics of people- The American Dictionary of Cultural
Literacy (2005)
Definition

6. What ethics is and what is it not?
What is Ethics?
◦ About commitment to positive values
◦ A communal activity, applying rational principles
and universal standards to social life
◦ About real power relations and responsible power
sharing
◦ About active participation in a moral community
◦ Problem solving activity
◦ Educational process
What is not Ethics?
◦ About negative code of conduct, moral
prohibitions, disciplinary rules
◦ A private matter, nor about subjective feelings,
personal attitudes and choices
◦ Introspective self examination, or judging one’s
or other’s moral state
◦ Personal reliance on experts, lawyers,
philosophers or religious authorities
◦ Interminable disputes, or insoluble dilemma
◦ Occult process

7. Ethical Theories
◦ Deontology- duty is the basis of all action
◦ Teleology- actions can only judged on the basis of consequences they produce
◦ Utilitarianism-central concern is ‘the general welfare rather than individual’s interest’

8. Historical Events & Development of Code of
Ethics
◦ Nazi Medical Experiments (1933-1945)
◦ Nuremberg Code-1949
◦ Declaration of Helsinki (1964)
◦ Tuskegee Syphilis Study 1932
◦ Willowbrook Study (1950-1970)
◦ Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital Study 1960

9. Nazi Medical Experiments (1933-1945)
◦ Atrocious, unethical activities implemented in Third Reich in Europe from 1933-1945
◦ Programs included sterilisation, euthanasia, and numerous medical experiments in Nazi
concentration camps
◦ Sterilised Jews whom Nazis considered as racial enemies
◦ Medical experiments involved exposing to high altitudes, freezing temperature, malaria, poisons,
typhus fever, untested drugs and surgery without anaesthesia
◦ Selection of subjects was racially based
◦ Subjects had no opportunity to refuse the participation

10. Nuremberg Code-1949
◦ Mistreatment of human subjects in Nazi experiments led to the development of Nuremberg
Code (1949)
◦ Nuremberg Code contains guidelines for
o Voluntary consent
o Withdrawal of subjects from study
o Protection of subjects from physical and mental suffering, injury, disability, and death
o The balance of benefits and risks in the study

11. Declaration of Helsinki (1964)
◦ Greater care can be exercised to protect subjects from harm
◦ Strong, independent justification for exposing a healthy volunteer to substantial risk of
harm
◦ Investigators must protect life and health of research subjects

12. Tuskegee Syphilis Study 1932
◦ U S Public Health Service initiated the study in town of Tuskegee,Alabama
◦ Research subjects were divided into two groups
◦ One group of 400 men who had untreated syphilis
◦ Control group of 200 men without syphilis

13. Willowbrook Study (1950-1970)
◦ Research on hepatitis by Dr.Krugman at Willowbrook among mentally retarded children
◦ Early subjects were fed extracts of stool from infected individuals
◦ Later subjects received injections of purified virus
◦ Parents were forced to give permission for the child to be a subject

14. Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital Study 1960
◦ Study conducted to determine patients’ rejection responses to live cancer cells
◦ Twenty two patients were injected with a suspension containing live cancer cells
◦ Physician from Sloan-Kettering Institute for cancer research directed the study
◦ Study conducted without the informed consent

15. Importance of Ethics in Research
◦ Protects the vulnerable group and other study participants
◦ Participants are safeguarded from exploitation
◦ Establishes risk-benefit ratio for study subjects
◦ Ensures fullest respect, dignity, privacy, disclosure and fair treatment for subject
◦ Builds capability of subjects to accept or reject participation in study

16. The Principle of Respect For Human Dignity
◦ The right to self determination-Humans should be treated as autonomous agents, capable of
controlling their own activities
◦ The right to full disclosure-Researcher should fully describe the nature of study, subject’s right to
refuse participation, researcher’s responsibility and risks and benefits

17. Informed Consent
◦ Participants have adequate knowledge regarding research, have the power of choice,
enabling to decline participation voluntarily.
◦ Informed assent-the process where by minors may agree to participate in clinical trials.

18. Vulnerable Subject
◦ Infants, children and young people
◦ Older adults
◦ People with mental illness and people who reside in care settings
◦ People with disabilities/ learning disabilities

19. Ethical Concerns in Qualitative Research
◦ Distress
◦ Misinterpretation
◦ Identification
◦ Inconvenience

20. Ethical Concerns in Quantitative Research
◦ Related to the stage of research
◦ Formulating the research questions
◦ Designing the study
◦ Collecting data
◦ Analysis
◦ Reporting

21. Conclusion
◦ If research is based on a robust design and in a safe and ethical manner, it can be of benefit to all
◦ Professional codes, laws, regulations, and ethics committees can provide guidance but ultimate
determinant rests with researcher’s value system and moral code

22. Reference
1. Ethics of Scientific Research, By O'Neill Professor of Philosophy and Concurrent Professor of Biological Science
Kristin Shrader-Frechette, Kristin Sharon Shrader-Frechette.
2. Stern, J. E., & Elliott, D. (1997). The ethics of scientific research : A guidebook for course development. Hanover, NH:
University Press of New England.
3. Ethics and scientific publication, Dale J. Benos, Jorge Fabres, John Farmer, Jessica P. Gutierrez, Kristin Hennessy, David
Kosek, Joo Hyoung Lee, Dragos Olteanu, Tara Russell, Faheem Shaikh, and Kai Wang.
4. The ethics of scientific research: an analysis of focus groups of scientists and institutional representatives, Wenger NS1,
Korenman SG, Berk R, Berry S.
5. Teaching scientific integrity and research ethics, GerlindeSponholz, Department of Legal Medicine, University of Ulm,
Albert-Einstein-Allee 47, 89081 Ulm, Germany
6. Ethics of Scientific Publication, Derek J. De Solla Price