Key issues in determining the ethics of research subject payment: the special case of drug abuse epidemiology

The authors identify key issues that researchers, funding bodies, ethics committees and ethicists might consider in contemplating research subject payment ethics. They argue that what is missing from the broader debate is due consideration of ethics committee decision processes; research subject reasons for participation; and current research practices. The authors explore these issues and how they relate to existing guidelines on voluntary consent, and arguments that have been proposed for and against research subject payments. (non- author abstract)

How effective is dog culling in controlling zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis? a critical evaluation of the science, politics and ethics behind this public health policy

INTRODUCTION: Zoonotic kala-azar, a lethal disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania is considered out of control in parts of the world, particularly in Brazil, where transmission has spread to cities throughout most of the territory and mortality presents an increasing trend. Although a highly debatable measure, the Brazilian government regularly culls seropositive dogs to control the disease. Since control is failing, critical analysis concerning the actions focused on the canine reservoir was conducted. METHODS: In a review of the literature, a historical perspective focusing mainly on comparisons between the successful Chinese and Soviet strategies and the Brazilian approach is presented. In addition, analyses of the principal studies regarding the role of dogs as risk factors to humans and of the main intervention studies regarding the efficacy of the dog killing strategy were undertaken. Brazilian political reaction to a recently published systematic review that concluded that the dog culling program lacked efficiency and its effect on public policy were also reviewed. RESULTS: No firm evidence of the risk conferred by the presence of dogs to humans was verified; on the contrary, a lack of scientific support for the policy of killing dogs was confirmed. A bias for distorting scientific data towards maintaining the policy of culling animals was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Since there is no evidence that dog culling diminishes visceral leishmaniasis transmission, it should be abandoned as a control measure. Ethical considerations have been raised regarding distorting scientific results and the killing of animals despite minimal or absent scientific evidence

Ciudadanía y bien común en el marco de una ética pública. Citizenship and common good in the frame of a public ethics.

La investigación pretende hacer aportes para la reformulación ético-discursiva de las ideas de ciudadanía y bien común, que sea capaz de articular la libertad y la equidad con la corresponsabilidad solidaria en contextos post-neoliberales de globalización, interculturalidad y exclusión. En este sentido, una reconfiguración de la sociedad y de la ciudadanía implicará mostrar en qué sentido y de qué modo el espacio público tiene que estar abierto no sólo a la competencia y a los consumidores, sino a ciudadanos ilustrados, autónomos y críticos. La investigación parte del supuesto que, desde los presupuestos teóricos, conceptuales y metodológicos de la teoría del discurso y de la teoría de la democracia deliberativa es posible reformular un concepto de bien común apto para articular la integración social en contextos de interacción pluralista y conflictiva, como son las democracias actuales. Puede parecer extraño, y no sin razón, que el concepto de bien común pueda ser rehabilitado en el contexto de sociedades pluralistas y democráticas, e incorporada convincentemente en la estructura de una nueva ética cívica. La extrañeza puede ser aún mayor si se piensa que, en la actualidad, la formulación de una nueva ética cívica se ve enfrentada tanto a desafíos internos, estrictamente ético-filosóficos, como externos, provenientes de problemas y conflictos histórico-contextuales y culturales (Michelini, 1998, 2000). Finalmente, es posible que la supuesta extrañeza esté relacionada también con el hecho de que el concepto de bien común sea empleado no sólo de modo ambiguo, sino que, además, haya sido utilizado en prácticas muy diversas: desde la búsqueda filosófica de la ciudad perfecta y del Estado ideal -en la que Platón manifiesta que "las cosas de los amigos deben ser comunes" (Platón, 1974a, V, 424a, 449c; 1974b, 739a-e)-, hasta las múltiples instrumentalizaciones históricas en las que el concepto de bien común se utilizó para articular la religión con el patriotismo o la razón de Estado. En la historia más o menos reciente de muchos países latinoamericanos encontramos, en este respecto, ejemplos trágicos: en nombre de la razón de Estado y del bien común, no pocas veces se ha pretendido mantener el orden establecido o defender una determinada ideología, incluso vulnerando la legitimidad del Estado de Derecho y lesionando normas éticas fundamentales. El objetivo general de la investigación es fundamentar un sustento teórico coherente para una reelaboración de los conceptos de ciudadanía y bien común en vista de una ética pública de la corresponsabilidad solidaria en sociedades democráticas y en contextos de globalización, interculturalidad y exclusión, e indagar acerca de su aplicabilidad a los campos de la práctica política y educativa. Los resultados del proyecto tendrán un impacto no sólo teórico, sino también práctico en el ámbito de las ciencias humanas, particularmente en el ámbito de la filosofía práctica, la ética pública, la política y el sistema educativo. Además, se propone elaborar lineamientos de acción para las instituciones sociales, educativas y políticas locales, regionales y nacionales, ayudar a esclarecer aspectos centrales de una convivencia democrática y pluralista, y contribuir al esclarecimiento de los deberes, de los derechos y de la corresponsabilidad solidaria.

Extent of non-publication in cohorts of studies approved by research ethics committees or included in trial registries

BACKGROUND: The synthesis of published research in systematic reviews is essential when providing evidence to inform clinical and health policy decision-making. However, the validity of systematic reviews is threatened if journal publications represent a biased selection of all studies that have been conducted (dissemination bias). To investigate the extent of dissemination bias we conducted a systematic review that determined the proportion of studies published as peer-reviewed journal articles and investigated factors associated with full publication in cohorts of studies (i) approved by research ethics committees (RECs) or (ii) included in trial registries. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Four bibliographic databases were searched for methodological research projects (MRPs) without limitations for publication year, language or study location. The searches were supplemented by handsearching the references of included MRPs. We estimated the proportion of studies published using prediction intervals (PI) and a random effects meta-analysis. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were used to express associations between study characteristics and journal publication. Seventeen MRPs (23 publications) evaluated cohorts of studies approved by RECs; the proportion of published studies had a PI between 22% and 72% and the weighted pooled proportion when combining estimates would be 46.2% (95% CI 40.2%-52.4%, I2 = 94.4%). Twenty-two MRPs (22 publications) evaluated cohorts of studies included in trial registries; the PI of the proportion published ranged from 13% to 90% and the weighted pooled proportion would be 54.2% (95% CI 42.0%-65.9%, I2 = 98.9%). REC-approved studies with statistically significant results (compared with those without statistically significant results) were more likely to be published (pooled OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.2-3.5). Phase-III trials were also more likely to be published than phase II trials (pooled OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.6-2.5). The probability of publication within two years after study completion ranged from 7% to 30%. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial part of the studies approved by RECs or included in trial registries remains unpublished. Due to the large heterogeneity a prediction of the publication probability for a future study is very uncertain. Non-publication of research is not a random process, e.g., it is associated with the direction of study findings. Our findings suggest that the dissemination of research findings is biased.

Research Ethics Committee Activity in Northern Ireland (PDF 23 KB)

Research Ethics Committee Activity in Northern Ireland

Dignity in care: where next for nursing ethics scholarship and research?

Dignity is recognised as both a central and also a contested value in bioethics discourse. The aim of this manuscript is to examine some of the key strands of the extensive body of dignity scholarship and research literature as it relates to nursing ethics and practice. The method is a critical appraisal of selected articles published in Nursing Ethics and other key manuscripts and texts identified by researchers in the UK and Brazil as influential. The results suggest a wide and rather confusing range of perspectives and findings albeit with some overall themes relating to objective and subjective features of dignity. In conclusion, the authors point to the need for more sustained philosophical engagement contextualising human dignity within a plurality of professional values. Future empirical work should explore what matters to patients, families, professionals and citizens in different cultural contexts rather than foregrounding qualitative research with such a contested concept.

Ethics and creative accounting: Some empirical evidence on accounting for intangibles in Spain

Recent research shows that financial reports are losing relevance. Mainly thisis due to the growing strategic importance of intangible assets in theperformance of a company. A possible solution is to modify accounting standardsso that statements include more self-generated intangible assets, taking intoaccount with their inherent risk and difficulty of valuation. We surveyed loanofficers who were asked to assess the credit-worthiness of a hypotheticalcompany. The only information given was a simplified version of financialstatements. Half the group got statements where research and development costshad been capitalized. The other half got statements in which these costs hadbeen treated as an expense. The findings show that capitalization wassignificantly more likely to attract a positive response to a loan request. Thepaper raises the question of whether accounting for intangibles might providemanagers with one more creative accounting technique and, in consequence, itsethical implications.