Research ethics committees and community values: Devlin, Dworkin, Hart and beyond

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Law
• Sociology

Background:

• Research ethics committees (RECs) require scientific competence and community moral understanding.
• Debate exists on whether REC decisions should reflect prevailing community values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine theories of community (Devlin, Dworkin, Hart) regarding REC decision-making.
• To determine if community values should inform REC verdicts.
• To propose an analytical framework for research ethics in emerging genetic technologies.

Main Methods:

• Critical analysis of philosophical theories on community values.
• Examination of the interplay between scientific competence and societal ethics.
• Application of Dworkin's theory of community to bioethical frameworks.

Main Results:

• Community values are complementary, not conflicting, to scientific expertise.
• Dworkin's theory offers a robust framework for integrating community values into research ethics.
• Existing theories provide a basis for aligning REC decisions with societal norms.

Conclusions:

• REC verdicts should be grounded in community values.
• Dworkin's theory provides a viable model for ethical considerations in genetic technologies.
• Integrating societal values enhances the legitimacy and ethical standing of RECs.