Ethics in Research PDF

Ethics in Research Keykavous Parang Ethics and Scientist Chapter 2  Discussion Questions Who is a scientist? What characteristics does a scientist have? What are the moral values of a scientist? How do you consider an act is not moral? Are t...

Ethics in Research Keykavous Parang Ethics and Scientist Chapter 2  Discussion Questions Who is a scientist? What characteristics does a scientist have? What are the moral values of a scientist? How do you consider an act is not moral? Are there moral values that are unique to the conduct of scientific research? Describe them and their implications in terms of doing research responsibly. Should scientists be accountable for their choice of research pursuits if their published results are used by others for evil purposes? Do you believe that some kinds of scientific research should be forbidden? If you do, provide examples. Do scientists have a moral obligation to explain the implications of their research to society? Why?  Discussion Questions Are there moral values that are unique to the conduct of scientific research? Describe them and their implications in terms of doing research responsibly. Should scientists be accountable for their choice of research pursuits if their published results are used by others for evil purposes? Do you believe that some kinds of scientific research should be forbidden? If you do, provide examples. Do scientists have a moral obligation to explain the implications of their research to society? Why?  Scientist Mastery of knowledge Read scientific literature, attend scientific meetings Autonomy Make decisions on what problems to study and how to study them Formal Organization Have scientific associations or certifications  Scientist Ethics codes Standards of conduct Culture of Practice Values and purposes for the existence of the profession  Discussion Questions Who is a scientist? What characteristics does a scientist have? What are the moral values of a scientist? How do you consider an act is not moral? Are there moral values that are unique to the conduct of scientific research? Describe them and their implications in terms of doing research responsibly. Should scientists be accountable for their choice of research pursuits if their published results are used by others for evil purposes? Do you believe that some kinds of scientific research should be forbidden? If you do, provide examples. Do scientists have a moral obligation to explain the implications of their research to society? Why?  Moral values Ethics is typically defined as the study of moral values. Scientists should not lie, cheat, or steal in doing their work (fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism) Many ethical dilemmas may not have a single right answer, but there are answers that are clearly wrong.  Discussion Questions Who is a scientist? What characteristics does a scientist have? What are the moral values of a scientist? How do you consider an act is not moral? Are there moral values that are unique to the conduct of scientific research? Describe them and their implications in terms of doing research responsibly. Should scientists be accountable for their choice of research pursuits if their published results are used by others for evil purposes? Do you believe that some kinds of scientific research should be forbidden? If you do, provide examples. Do scientists have a moral obligation to explain the implications of their research to society? Why?  Moral values To determine whether a particular act is moral or immoral, one determines whether the consequences of that act are considered good or bad. To decide whether a particular act is moral, a person must sum up all of the consequences, both good or bad, and assess the net outcome. A person requires to consider the interests of everyone. Consequences of not following moral values by scientists You will greatly increase the chance of your paper’ being accepted into a prestigious journal Enhance your career, salary, and your family’s security Other scientists are misled by the fabricated results, Some may decide to initiate a new series of experiments or to cease a line of investigation based on your fabricated data. Wasting of precious resources Consequences of not following moral values by scientists If your research has direct clinical relevance, it is possible that patients may be directly injured or killed by your deceit. If you are caught in your lie, still more harm will accrue both to you directly and to the public’s confidence in science. If you consider the cumulative negative impact of your lying, and not just the positive benefits that you are seeking, it will become apparent that the net outcome is a bad one. First ask yourself whether or not you can honestly wish that your deed be universalized into a rule. This rule would permit all scientists to submit fraudulent data as genuine.  Discussion Questions Who is a scientist? What characteristics does a scientist have? What are the moral values of a scientist? How do you consider an act is not moral? Are there moral values that are unique to the conduct of scientific research? Describe them and their implications in terms of doing research responsibly. Should scientists be accountable for their choice of research pursuits if their published results are used by others for evil purposes? Do you believe that some kinds of scientific research should be forbidden? If you do, provide examples. Do scientists have a moral obligation to explain the implications of their research to society? Why?  Core Values for Integrity in Research Honesty: Free from fraud and deception Trust: Confidence in the research across a spectrum that covers investigator conduct, methods used, data analysis, interpretation, and reporting. Fairness: Providing appropriate credit to the work of others, citing the literature accurately and responsibly, providing appropriate recommendations, conducting objective peer review, and sharing data. Openness: Communication with the scientific and public communities, reporting of research results, and acknowledgment of research contributions. Accountability: Answerable for their actions in proposing, performing, reviewing, and reporting research  Core Values for Integrity in Research Stewardship: Efficient and nonwasteful use of resources, responsible use of research funds, duty of care in conducting research that involves human or animal subjects, and responsibility for the training and preparation of future generations of scientists Objectivity: Interpretations based on facts and evidence that have been properly collected and rigorously analyzed and that conclusions are free of improper bias Accuracy and Reliability: Avoid errors in the performance of research and precise reporting and communicating of the research process, the results, and the conclusions. Impartiality and Independence: Proactive in the identification of conflicts of interest to reduce bias in judgment.  Discussion Questions Who is a scientist? What characteristics does a scientist have? What are the moral values of a scientist? How do you consider an act is not moral? Are there moral values that are unique to the conduct of scientific research? Describe them and their implications in terms of doing research responsibly. Should scientists be accountable for their choice of research pursuits if their published results are used by others for evil purposes? Do you believe that some kinds of scientific research should be forbidden? If you do, provide examples. Do scientists have a moral obligation to explain the implications of their research to society? Why? THREATS AND RESPONSES: THE SCIENTISTS; Journal Editors to Consider U.S. Security in Publishing https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/16/us/threats- responses-scientists-journal-editors-consider-us- security-publishing.html https://www.science.o rg/content/article/hhs -asks-pnas-pull- bioterrorism-paper https://www.reuters.com/arti cle/birdflu/bird-flu-paper- that-raised-bioterrorism-fears- published- idINDEE8410FB20120502  The Manhattan Project Shows Scientists’ Moral and Ethical Responsibilities https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/media/series/ethics-on-film/ethics- on-film-discussion-of-oppenheimer https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-manhattan-project- shows-scientists-moral-and-ethical-responsibilities/ “After the war, Oppenheimer sat with President Truman to talk about international control of nuclear weapons, telling him: “I feel I have blood on my hands.”  Discussion Questions Who is a scientist? What characteristics does a scientist have? What are the moral values for a scientist? How do you consider an act is not moral? Are there moral values that are unique to the conduct of scientific research? Describe them and their implications in terms of doing research responsibly. Should scientists be accountable for their choice of research pursuits if their published results are used by others for evil purposes? Do you believe that some kinds of scientific research should be forbidden? If you do, provide examples. Do scientists have a moral obligation to explain the implications of their research to society? Why?  Case studies Separate the relevant issues from the nonrelevant ones. Relevant issues must then be analyzed, and the factual matters, backed up by evidence, must be distinguished from nonfactual ones. Students must also decide how to weigh the nonfactual matters, such as statements of opinions or expressions of personal values. Several acceptable solutions to the problem may be found. Acceptable solutions must always be in compliance with standards and cannot be misinterpreted. Should not contain any loopholes. Unacceptable solutions include violations of specific standards, guidelines, or rules and regulations.  Case 1 Donna Mills is a student who has been accused of data falsification in a publication. The allegation was made to the dean of her school by someone outside of her institution. Following a preliminary evaluation of the allegation, the dean formed an inquiry panel that delivered a finding of suspected misconduct as alleged. Based on this, an investigative panel has been constituted by the dean. Professor Sarah Uba-Kalu is one of five senior faculty members on the investigative panel. Although the panel members have not yet completed their report, it is clear to Sarah that the panel will be unanimous in its decision to find Donna guilty of falsification. Sarah has just received a written request to provide a recommendation for Donna, who is being considered for a Ph.D. program at another university. Sarah was unaware Donna was looking at other opportunities and does not remember being asked to serve as a reference. Because the panel’s work is confidential, Sarah decides to delay responding to the request, knowing that a guilty verdict is imminent. Then she plans to place a call and disclose Donna’s conviction. She describes her intentions to you, arguing that she will have a moral obligation to report Donna’s misconduct to a potential University. Sarah asks your opinion of her plan. What will you tell her? If you disagree with her proposed course of action, what, if any, alternative would you offer?  Discussion Questions Who are the mentor and mentee? What do you believe are the core values of the mentor-trainee relationship in science? What are the mentor’s responsibilities? What are mentee’s responsibilities? What are the core competencies for a mentee after graduation?  Case 2 Dr. Rhonda Archer mentors several MS students. One of her students, Gordon Krol, shows Rhonda data that suggest a novel property of an enzyme under study. Both Rhonda and Gordon believe this work has major implications for explaining the knowledge about this enzyme. At Rhoda’s request, Gordon repeats the experiments successfully. Then, because of the important implications of this work, Rhoda approaches another MS student in the lab and asks her to perform the same experiments to double-check the results. Rhoda instructs the student not to discuss the experiments with anyone else in the lab in order to obtain independent data to confirm Gordon’s potentially important findings. When the student’s work is done, all data will be disclosed to all parties. Are the advisor’s actions justified? Why or why not? What other means could be used to achieve Rhonda’s need to confirm reproducibility?  Case 3 Ashton Faraday is a second-year graduate student conducting her dissertation in pharmaceutical sciences under your supervision. During the fall semester, Ashton not only takes a full course load but spends long hours in the lab and works as a teaching assistant for one of your undergraduate classes. Her grades are stellar, and she is an exemplary teaching assistant. After the winter holidays, however, you begin to notice a change in Ashton. Her grades begin to drop, she often appears distracted, and you rarely see her in the lab. One afternoon while you are analyzing samples, Ashton arrives for some work. You notice she is not her usual cheerful self; in fact, she seems frenzied, almost manic racing around the lab. While working at your bench, you glance over and notice Ashton taking several pills from a bottle without a prescription label. Concerned that she may be ill, you ask Ashton how she is feeling. Ashton hastily tells that she is not sick and the pills in the bottle are for a migraine. When you suggest she take the afternoon off to help relieve her headache, she becomes defensive, telling you she does not have time to go home and rest. You are not the only one who has noticed a change in Ashton. In fact, you have had several graduate students tell you that they have seen Ashton taking pills from a bottle regularly, and many have commented on her mood swings. As Ashton’s mentor, how would you handle this situation? What, if any, actions need to be taken?