Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Working with Human Tissues for Translational Cancer Research
Published on: November 26, 2015
Consenting to uncertainty: challenges for informed consent to disease screening--a case study.
1Department of Philosophy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. mkgreene@udel.edu
Interpreting screening results for chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is complex due to probability and uncertainty. Focusing on avoidable risks, tailored to individuals, is crucial for informed consent and occupational health decisions.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Medical Decision-Making
- Bioethics
Background:
- Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) screening presents challenges in result interpretation.
- Probabilistic nature and empirical uncertainty complicate decision-making and informed consent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore challenges in decision-making and informed consent for CBD screening.
- To analyze the implications of probabilistic results and empirical uncertainty.
Main Methods:
- Case study approach using chronic beryllium disease.
- Analysis of decision-making processes and informed consent procedures.
Main Results:
- A purely precautionary approach based on heightened risk may be a mistake.
- Interpretation advice should focus on avoidable risk, not just risk itself.
Conclusions:
- Tailored advice for interpreting screening results is essential for individuals.
- Effective individual decision-making, informed consent, and occupational health strategies are paramount.
Related Concept Videos
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...
Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients
Nurses' Legal Responsibilities I
The legal responsibilities of a nurse regarding informed consent include the following:
Nursing Ethical Principles II
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...
Ethics in Research
Longitudinal Research
