CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH CHILDREN - LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES

Research with children and mentally disabled individuals raises diffic ult legal and ethical issues. It is the obligation of researchers and those who review research to protect both the rights and welfare of re search subjects. Ethicists, legal scholars, and national commissions h ave examined the circumstances under which it is acceptable to use inc ompetent people as research subjects, since they are unable to provide consent for participation. Furthermore, there is an extensive set of federal rules that govern the use of children as research subjects. Ch ildren may be used as research subjects after a careful weighing of ri sks and benefits, and as long as they participate in the decision to t he extent they are able to do so. However, research projects that will not provide children with direct benefit, such as some placebo-contro lled trials, raise particularly difficult issues concerning the protec tion of these subjects. While biomedical research is an important and socially desirable undertaking, it must proceed only when the rights a nd welfare of the subjects are scrupulously protected.