Human Subjects Research

Human research serves to ensure the safety of new medicines, establish tolerable exposure levels for environmental and workplace hazards, and determine the effectiveness of new interventions in public health, education, and countless other fields. Without volunteers, these studies would be impossible to conduct. Recognising society's responsibility of protect human subjects of research from avoidable harm and unethical treatment, the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues was asked to conduct a thorough review of current regulations and international standards to assess whether they adequately protect human subjects in federally supported scientific studies, no matter where they occur. This book explores the current policies and practices in places that ensure scientific research, health care delivery, and technological innovation conducted in a socially and ethically responsible manner.