Introduction

This chapter will cover specific cases of research whose goals, scientific methods and dissemination of results create particular and interesting ethical problems. As an example of ethical problems in research goals we will look at the aims of different branches of organ transplantation research. In seeking to improve the chances of people who are in need of new organs, tissue and skin, research moves in such ethically sensitive areas as elective ventilation, xeno-transplantation and the use of embryos as a therapeutic tool. When we come, secondly, to look at issues in research method, two examples will be considered. The first is the discovery of penicillin, and the second is research into homeopathic treatments. The two accounts have some similarities. Thirdly and finally the dissemination of results will be discussed, looking specifically at cases which highlight the difficulties in making evidence-based medicine a reality. These are: research into administering cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to neonates to determine whether and when that treatment is futile; research into uses for interferon; and research into fetal monitoring during labour.

Goals of research

When this issue was discussed in Chapter Two, it was suggested that researchers should aim at discovering treatments that cure without harm to individual patients or to the wider environment. The development of treatments for those whose organs are in disrepair and need replacing will now be taken as a case study of research goals.