Translational research promotes knowledge transfer from laboratory and preclinical research into clinical practice. As Gupta (2022) posited, critical ethical challenges characterize this process, particularly concerning the safety and dignity of human subjects. Ethical guidelines that should be implemented when conducting translational research include ensuring adherence to best practices, protecting participants, and awareness and adequately addressing possible conflicts of interest. According to Petrini et al. (2020), a conflict of interest emerges when a secondary interest, such as economic gain, influences the primary interest, like the patient’s health. Best practices include conforming to protocols and the expected data collection procedures, as well as conducting research in the right places and at the right time.
Ethical and legal considerations related to translational research are diverse and consider different factors. One of the key facets is the subjects’ safety and welfare, where researchers are obliged to prioritize patient welfare over other interests. Other considerations include integrity of research, proportionality between risks and benefits, and equality of access (Yarborough, 2020; Petrini et al., 2020). While explaining these considerations, Petrini et al. (2020) noted that translational research should comply with the established rules and professional standards, balance risks and potential benefits, and avoid discrimination. Special attention to the relationship between researchers and human subjects is crucial, established and maintained by promoting beneficence and autonomy.
As a translational research team member, I would take various steps to establish ethical guidelines for conducting translational research. The first step is to ensure the social and clinical value of research, accomplished by conducting research that improves scientific understanding of health and benefits patients. The second step is to ensure adequate measures to protect human subjects from potential risks. Thirdly, all research should ensure informed consent, respect for participants, and fair inclusion of subjects in a study. The requirements under each step should be explicit before the research commences.
Gupta, N. (2022). Ethical considerations in translational research. Perioperative Neuroscience, 215-228. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91003-3.00004-0
Petrini, C., Minghetti, L., & Brusaferro, S. (2020). A few ethical issues in translational research for medicinal products discovery and development. Annali dell’Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 56(4), 487-491. DOI: 10.4415/ANN_20_04_11
Yarborough, M. (2021). Do we really know how many clinical trials are conducted ethically? Why research ethics committee review practices need to be strengthened and initial steps we could take to strengthen them. Journal of Medical Ethics, 47(8), 572–579. https://doi.org/10.1136/medeth
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