Ethics in human medical research: Views of a non-medical person

Abstract

Ethics is an important yet neglected issue in the field of medicine. When discussed, it provokes controversy. In the West we find conscious and continuous debate on this subject. Ethics is not a forbidden word there nor are
ethical issues brushed under the carpet. The scientific communities in western countries have nourished a tradition, a culture, an ethos where ethical issue are articulated and debated within and outside professional groups. Declarations made following detailed discussions form the basis of action but remain subject to review. Self-regulatory codes of conduct have evolved and are scrupulously implemented.