Principles of research ethics and entailed normative guidelines
| Principle | Definition | Normative guidelines |
| Justice | The potential benefits, risks and burdens of research participation must be distributed equitably. | Fair procedures must be in place for the selection of research participants. |
| Vulnerable research participants are entitled to additional protections. | ||
| Respect for persons | Candidates for research participation must be treated as autonomous agents, and those with diminished autonomy are entitled to protection. | Informed, comprehending and free consent must be obtained from prospective research participants. |
| When prospective participant autonomy is diminished or lacking, informed consent must be obtained from an authorised surrogate decision maker. | ||
| Protect the confidentiality of private information. | ||
| Beneficence | Research participants must be protected from harm and their welfare must be promoted. | Therapeutic procedures must satisfy equipoise. |
| Any risks of non-therapeutic procedures must be minimised consistent with sound scientific design, and reasonable in relation to the knowledge to be gained. |