[Ethics in clinical research. World Medical Association]

Ethics is the branch of Philosophy that treats the essential; the origin and the obligatory character of the moral, for that reason it relates with the man conscience; it deals with the knowledge and acceptation of the right and the rejection of the evil (wrong). This is subordinated to the will of the man who is free to decide between the right and the evil. The purpose of biomedical research involving human subjects must help to improve diagnostic, therapeutic and prophylactic procedures and to understand the aetiology and pathogenesis of a disease. In current medical practice most diagnostic, therapeutic or prophylactic procedures involve hazard. This applies especially to biomedical research. Medical progress is based on research which ultimately must rely in part on experimentation involving human subjects. The World Medical Association has prepared the recommendations described in this article as a guide to every physician in biomedical research involving human subjects.