Sage-Tips

Should clinical trials be carried out on inmates?

Prisoners can’t be regarded to have free will, hence the nearest living relative must agree for the research. In case of prisoners who don’t have a family, the consent must be confirmed by the ethics committee after having interviews with prisoners. No harmful trials should be conducted on prisoners.

Can prisoners be in clinical trials?

California law prohibits all biomedical research on prisoners (Section 3502). However, prisoner participation in investigational new drug (IND) research may be allowed under certain circumstances. The prisoner-participant has given informed consent [Section 3521].

Why are prisoners excluded from clinical trials?

The strongest factors prompting researchers to exclude prisoners were the perceived difficulties/costs of recruiting and involving them, with over half (59\%) citing this.

Why is testing on prisoners good?

Allowing scientists to experiment on prisoners will give scientists free reign in areas where prisoners already have restricted choice, such as diet. The other possibility for legal challenge would to make an argument for an 8th Amendment violation due to the inadequacy of the food as a result of the experiment.

What are the special ethical concerns with incarcerated populations?

In the past, prisoners have carried a heavier burden of the risks of research than the general population. Although the level of severity varies depending on the correctional setting, prisoners face restrictions on liberty and autonomy, limited privacy, and potentially inadequate health care services.

Is it ethical to test prisoners?

Human research in prison populations traditionally has raised ethical concerns that the incarcerated may be pressured to participate in a clinical trial. Thus, specific protocols and protections are federally required to protect prisoners from coercion into research participation.

Are prisoners a protected class?

Although prisoners do not have full constitutional rights, they are protected by the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Regardless, prisoners retain some constitutional rights, such as due process in their right to administrative appeals and a right of access to the parole process.

Which ethical principle do you have to be most concerned about when conducting research with prisoners?

Justice and Respect for Persons Congress’s charge to the commission concerning research with prisoners identified informed consent as the primary locus of ethical concern.

Why is it bad to test on prisoners?

The individual could have picked up natural immunities to all manner of diseases, creating confounding variables in the research. Many of those in prison have past problems with drugs or alcohol, or other health related issues which may interfere with the experiments.