NBAC on clinical trial ethics

Fundamental ethical principles should govern clinical research, regardless of the social and economic conditions of the countries in which it is conducted, according to a report issued by the National Bioethics Advisory Commission on Friday. The NBAC draft report on Ethical and Policy Issues in International Research was developed in response to concerns raised by the participation of U.S. researchers in placebo-controlled trials of AIDS therapies in Africa.

Clinical studies conducted by U.S. researchers in developing countries should be designed to ensure that control groups receive established, effective treatments, whether or not that treatment is available in the country where the research is conducted, according to the White House advisory panel. Indeed, NBAC asserted that basic ethical principles apply to all research, regardless of where it is conducted, and U.S. researchers should reject a developing country's decisions about research design and conduct if they conflict with these principles. ...