Related Experiment Videos
Controlled clinical trials and medical ethics
Lancet (London, England)
|December 23, 1978
Summary
Legal and ethical issues surrounding controlled clinical trials in Germany are a growing concern. Introducing a contract for experimentation may resolve conflicts between individual patient benefit and trial requirements.
Area of Science:
- Medical Law
- Bioethics
Background:
- Public attention in Germany has focused on legal and ethical aspects of controlled clinical trials over the last five years.
- Physician obligations under treatment contracts can conflict with the ethical requirements of controlled trials, potentially hindering their execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the legal and ethical challenges posed by controlled clinical trials in the Federal Republic of Germany.
- To explore potential solutions for overcoming ethical and legal barriers in clinical trial conduct.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of legal and ethical frameworks governing clinical trials.
- Review of existing physician-patient treatment contracts and their implications for research.
Main Results:
- Standard treatment contracts may create ethical dilemmas for physicians in controlled trials.
- The principle of individual benefit in treatment contracts can conflict with the need for comparative data in trials.
Conclusions:
- A distinct 'contract for experimentation' may be necessary to navigate the legal and ethical complexities of controlled clinical trials.
- Implementing a specialized contract could help reconcile physician duties with trial protocols, ensuring ethical conduct and legal compliance.