The Emerging of International Human Subjects Research - Ethical Issues and Debates on Double Standard Controversies

Abstract

Medical research and its attendant technical development are considerable economically imperative as well as vital to the future well-being of humankind. Research involving human subjects increasingly took place in developing countries in the past two decades. A recent publication has disclosed unethical trials concerned with reducing the perinatal transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in developing countries, and this has revealed to the global society how complicated ethical issues in international research may be. It has further brought about substantial debate as to the ethics of research in developing countries. Amongst the many ethical controversies, the debate on the standards used to control trials in developing countries is most complex. In this paper, the author will make a comparison between the relative legitimacy of those who argue for the "best proven therapy" and those who argue for the "highest attainable therapy" Issues includes the reasons that frosted the emerging trend of international researches, the ethical and legal controversies in terms of the double standards approach, as well as a partnership approach will addressed.

Keywords: human subjects research, best proven therapy, highest attainable therapy, partnership approach