RESEARCH ETHICS - A WIDENING OF THE SCOPE AND EXTRAPOLATION INTO THE FUTURE

Until recently, the concept of research ethics covered only the safety of, and the respect for, the research subject, i.e. the trial patient and the healthy volunteer. The reason was obviously that human resear ch subjects are the most vulnerable of all key persons involved in bio medical research, and the fact that this vulnerability was made tragic ally visible through the atrocities of World War II. Not in any way to detract importance from this part of I esearch ethics these years exp erience a widening of the conceptual scope, involving not only the res earcher and his or her honesty but also society as a whole, not just d uties and rights considered unilaterally but bilaterally. And further, including perspectives as science freedom and a given generation's re sponsibility for its global fellow-men and for future generations.