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Solidarity, children and research

Barry Lyons1

  • 1Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, School of Law, University of Manchester. Oxford Road Manchester M13 9PL, UK. barry.lyons0@gmail.com

Bioethics
|July 26, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Child participation in research without direct benefit is ethically complex. Viewing it as an act of solidarity, where children help others, offers a more robust moral justification for their involvement.

Area of Science:

  • Bioethics
  • Pediatric Research
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Current justifications for children's research participation, especially when lacking direct benefit, are ethically questionable.
  • Existing arguments based on best interests, duty, or obligation are unconvincing.
  • A new ethical framework is needed to support research involving children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a novel ethical justification for children's participation in research.
  • To reframe research participation as an act of solidarity.
  • To explore the potential for fostering solidarity as a norm in pediatric research.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical argumentation and ethical analysis.
  • Review of existing literature on research ethics and child participation.
  • Conceptual development of solidarity as a moral basis.

Main Results:

  • Arguments for children's research participation based on best interests or duty are insufficient.
  • Research participation can be ethically grounded in solidarity, akin to assisting those less fortunate.
  • Children and parents often value altruism and helping others.

Conclusions:

  • Viewing research participation as an act of solidarity provides a stronger ethical foundation.
  • Encouraging solidarity can shift research participation from an exception to a norm.
  • This approach respects children's capacity for empathy and desire to help peers.

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