In Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt’s (2019) textbook Box 23.1 on page 682, select one of the Fifteen Ethical Principles of the Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. The Principle Of Upholding Human Dignity And Human Rights in Research The Principle Of Upholding Human Dignity And Human Rights in Research State the principle and describe the importance of the selected principle to ethical research. In addition, describe how a researcher would ensure that this principle would be protected for human subjects in a research study.

The Principle Of Upholding Human Dignity And Human Rights in Research

Bioethics and Human Rights principles demonstrate a significant milestone in establishing universal basic standards in clinical practice and biomedical research (Darmanin, 2020). It stipulates that Personal interests and well-being should take precedence over any sole objective of study or community. In research, the principles of human dignity, human rights, and individual freedoms must be completely honored. The concept argues that the interests and well-being of the people participating in a study should take precedence over the interests of science or society as a whole.

Human rights represent fundamental entitlements that are crucial in safeguarding all research participants, particularly individuals who may be subjected to abuse, mistreatment, or alienation due to social-cultural variations and diversity. Dignity is regarded as a sense of satisfaction in one’s identity, which is demonstrated by the persons involved in research. The importance of adhering to the principle motivates individuals to attain their full potential and allows them to make the preferred choices in the study (Kollontai, 2020).  Well-controlled research with human participants is essential for validating any conclusions addressing normal physiology, disease processes, treatment efficacy, cognition, or behavior.

The concept of benevolence guides researchers’ efforts to minimize harm to participants whilst increasing benefits to people and communities. Researchers must be aware of the research subjects’ interests. Human volunteers may be treated ethically in research not just by respecting their wishes and safeguarding them from harm but also by taking steps to improve their well-being. Researchers protect study participants against exploitation by ensuring that every information they disclose due to their participation in the study is kept private. The importance of adhering to the principle motivates individuals to attain their full potential and allows them to make the preferred choices in the research. The principle is founded on the assumption that an individual resembles a spiritual-moral entity with the capacity to choose and pursue their preferred pathway.

References

Darmanin, L. (2020). Bioethics matters: should bioethics education be introduced In the Maltese curriculum? (Master’s thesis, University of Malta).

Kollontai, P. (2020). On Human Dignity and Rights: The Dialectics of Religious and Secular Law in Israel. In Human Dignity, Human Rights, and Social Justice (pp. 203-217). Springer, Singapore.