An essential element of good reproductive health research, as well as service delivery, is that it be performed in an ethical manner. This issue of Network covers the evolution of basic ethical principles, ethical dilemmas that service providers regularly face, distinctions between informed choice and informed consent, and emerging reproductive health technologies that raise ethical concerns.
In this issue:
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.
