Investigating pediatric HIV research ethics in the field

Physician and nurse researchers, Institutional Review Board members, and parents of children with HIV were asked, during interviews, to describe their views on the ethical issues involved in the conduct of clinical drug research that uses as subjects children who are seropositive for HIV. Twenty-eight interviews at four clinical sites were completed. Two significant ethical topic issues were identified. The study presents and analyzes, using bioethical perspectives, (1) factors that affect access of seropositive children to care and (2) concerns that the respondents presented about the amount of risk appropriate for the afflicted children.