MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION, INFORMED CONSENT AND USING PEOPLE

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8519.1994.tb00261.x
• Publication Date: 2007-10-29T12:36:55Z
• Authors: DE AN COCKING; JU STIN OAKLEY
• Keywords: Personal autonomy; Bioethics

ABSTRACT In this paper we argue that the standard focus on problems of informed consent in debates about ethics human experimentation is inadequate because it fails to capture a more fundamental way which such experiments may be wrong. Taking clinical trials as our case point, suggest moral offence using people mere means better characterizes what wrong with violations personal autonomy certain kinds trials. This account also helps bring out another important participants my violated, even cases where they have given their involvement. Where relevant information trial framed induce patient's participation by appeal nonrational preferences, violation autonomy, and one distinct from failure consent. The underlying wrongness both violations, argue, plausibly captured means.