HIV international clinical research: exploitation and risk.

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8704792 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0269-9702 (Print) Linking ISSN: 02699702 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Bioethics

Publication: Oxford : Wiley-Blackwell
Original Publication: Oxford ; New York : Basil Blackwell, c1987-

Developing Countries* ; Research Subjects* ; Social Justice* ; Vulnerable Populations*; Clinical Trials as Topic/*ethics ; HIV Infections/*drug therapy ; Human Experimentation/*ethics ; Risk Assessment/*ethics; Anti-Retroviral Agents/supply & distribution ; Anti-Retroviral Agents/therapeutic use ; Clinical Trials as Topic/economics ; Developed Countries ; Drug Industry/economics ; Health Services Accessibility ; Humans ; Placebos

This paper aims to show that to reduce the level of exploitation present in (some) international clinical trials, research sponsors must aim to provide both an ex-ante expected gain in utility and a fair ex-post distribution of benefits for research subjects. I suggest the following principles of fair risk distribution in international research as the basis of a normative definition of fairness: (a) Persons should not be forced (by circumstance) to gamble in order to achieve or protect basic goods; (b) In cases where one party is gambling with basic goods and the other party is not, the distribution of benefits and burdens must be arranged so that they are of greatest benefit to the worst off; (c) In relationships where one party is gambling for basic goods and the other party is not, the party gambling for basic goods must be assured of some guaranteed benefits in addition to the chance of getting some practical benefits. These principles are applied to the case of HIV international research. I conclude that the research (as described) is mutually advantageous but still exploitative because the distribution of surplus benefits is unfair. It is unfair because research subjects are gambling with and for basic goods but they are not assured of a fair ex-post distribution of benefits. Principles (b) and (c) are not satisfied. Research participants are not accorded enough guaranteed benefits to outweigh the risks they undertake.

Indexing Agency: KIE Local ID #: 123663.
Keywords: Analytical Approach; Biomedical and Behavioral Research
Note: 21 fn. Note: KIE Bib: AIDS/human experimentation; human experimentation/foreign countries

0 (Anti-Retroviral Agents)
0 (Placebos)

Date Created: 20060124 Date Completed: 20060203 Latest Revision: 20191109

20240829

10.1111/j.1467-8519.2005.00459.x

16425485