RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Ethical concerns regarding guidelines for the conduct of clinical research on children
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 351
OP 354
DO 10.1136/jme.2004.009555
VO 31
IS 6
A1 S D Edwards
A1 M J McNamee
YR 2005
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/31/6/351.abstract
AB In this article we examine ethical aspects of the involvement of children in clinical research, specifically those who are incapable of giving informed consent to participate. The topic is, of course, not a new one in medical ethics but there are some tensions in current guidelines that, in our view, need to be made explicit and which need to be responded to by the relevant official bodies. In particular, we focus on tensions between the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki, and the guidance offered by the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (formerly the British Paediatric Association), and the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences. We conclude with a call for these organisations to make their guidance explicit in relation to the World Medical Association Declaration.