Transcript Lysbilde 1

Implementation of research ethical guidelines
Micheline Egge Grung
The National Committee for Research Ethics in the Social
Sciences and the Humanities, Oslo, Norway
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The distinction between ethical principles and professional codes
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The guidelines, § 4
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‘The ethical obligations of research relate partly to norms in the
research process and partly to responsibility for the consequences of
research. The main types of norms are:
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Norms relating to respect for human dignity
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Ethical norms in relations between researchers
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Norms relating to truth-seeking and reliability
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The role of national committees for research ethics
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Possible role of a proposed national board for for scientific misconduct
and good scientific practice
Research ethical guidelines adopted by NESH
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National guidelines applying to the fields of social sciences,
humanities and law
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Adopted for the first time in 1993
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Contains 46 paragraphs altogether and a checklist (appendix)
concerning commissioned research
Types of (research) ethical principles
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Absolute (deontological) principles
§ 15 Storage of information which can identify individuals.
‘Information on identifiable individuals must be properly stored.
[…] ’
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Principles that require the exercise of moral judgment
§ 8 The obligation to obtain consent.
‘Research projects which presuppose active participation must
as a general rule only be initiated with the freely obtained and
informed consent of the participants. […] ’
Two common critiques
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Guidelines are vague and feeble proclamations
Guidelines function as external ‘high courts’ not in touch with
research realities
Research ethical guidelines presuppose:
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Specific, non-trivial norms
Solid basis in explicitly or implicitly recognised research ethical
principles in research community
Main responsibility for implementation
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§ 30 The ethical responsibility of research institutions.
‘Research institutions must have procedures for enforcing
guidelines for research ethics. […] ’
Ethical committees / boards can operate
through…
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1. Identification and development of existing norms through
dialogue with scientific communities
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…continually!
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2. Advising individual researchers
NESH’s mandate: advisory function
Main purpose: contribute to reflection
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3. Co-operation with other institutions: The Data Inspectorate
= a kind of control system for research projects involving
personal data
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4. Seminars
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Consent
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Research ethical challenges of biographies
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Research ethical challenges of minority research
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2003: Commercialization
Main obstacles in implementing guidelines
…10 years after the guidelines were adopted for the first time
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Research ethics a part of the individual researcher’s daily life
5. Education in research ethics
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Norms under pressure
6. Incorporate research ethical principles as part of contracts
- responsibility for data collection and analysis
- publication
The proposed national board for scientific
misconduct and good scientific practice
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Key considerations:
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All disciplines
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Protection of whistleblowers
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Preventive/educational measures
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Wide definition of scientific misconduct
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Composition of board
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Executive work
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Treat and settle complaints concerning scientific misconduct
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Confidential
Consequences of the board’s decisions