Human
Research Must Protect Participants
Research among humans is necessary to learn how to better treat or
prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), develop new contraceptive
choices, and improve existing methods, services, strategies, and public
policies. But it is essential that such research be done in an ethical
manner with careful planning and procedures to protect research
participants. Institutional
Review Boards Help Ensure Safety discusses how ethics review
committees help protect human participants in a study.
Health
Services Raise Ethical Questions
Providers of reproductive health services struggle daily with ethical
decisions that can have profound consequences for the well-being of their
clients, including issues that arise in serving adolescents, and
counseling HIV-positive clients and victims of domestic violence. WHO
recommendations for helping victims of domestic violence, as well as
sources of practical information about the topic for providers, are given
in Responding
to Victims of Domestic Violence. The ethics of the widespread
traditional practice of female genital cutting is discussed in Is
Female Genital Cutting Ethically Justifiable?
Choices
Must be Informed, Voluntary
By means of informed choice and informed consent, medical providers and
research scientists can help ensure that clients and study participants
make fully informed and voluntary decisions about reproductive health
care. Informed
Consent Involves Many Steps outlines specific steps that were taken to
ensure informed consent during an FHI study.
Case
Studies
Several case studies, taken from journal articles and similar sources,
explore ethical situations in reproductive health research or service
delivery.
Technology
Raises Ethical Concerns
Emerging technologies that involve reproductive health offer the
promise of better care and services, and improved quality of life.
However, new technology can often raise unanticipated ethical concerns,
including the potential for abuse and misuse.
Contraceptive
Update: U.S. Study Panel Confirms Condoms Are Effective against HIV/AIDS
In July 2001, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study panel in the
United States issued its report on condom effectiveness in preventing
sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. FHI has compiled a
list of typical questions and answers to help explain key findings of the
report.
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