THE CALL OF THE SIRENS - ETHICALLY NAVIGATING THE SEA OF NONVALIDATEDTHERAPIES

Medical research and innovation are vital to the advancement of medici ne and, ultimately, benefit society and individual patients. However, the ethical principles of beneficence, respect for persons, and justic e must guide the development and implementation of new practices. Ethi cal codes governing clinical practice and research already warn practi tioners to avoid the use of nonvalidated practices outside of controll ed clinical trials. Nonetheless, lack of compliance with these codes p laces many patients at risk for harm. Ophthalmologists, as well as all physicians, must recommit themselves to these ethical principles and codes and establish more vigorous peer-review methods to protect patie nts from nonvalidated practices that are implemented without a scienti fic basis.