| dc.description.abstract | Before 20th Century, there were few experiments on human being and mostly
were morally acceptable. There are more and more experiments employing human
subjects and cases of abuse abound. In United States, Germany and Japan there
were revealed many cases of inhuman treatment of subjects in experiments.
International associations set up a number of important rules such as the Nuremburg
Code, Helsinki Declaration, Belmont Report and others. These documents specified
the rules for human experiments. By the end of the 20th and the beginning of 21st
century, the Human Genome Project brought into view a new wave of different
experiments such as those concern genetic therapy, embryonic stem cell research,
pharmacogenomics and others. United Nation consequently issued a number of
declarations such as Declaration of Human Genome and Human Rights, International
Declarations on Bioethics, so as to provide a universal guideline for the field.
Using the four basic principles of respect for autonomy, benevolence and
non-maleficience and justice, this thesis examines the various code of ethics and
declarations on ethical conducts in human subject research and experiment and builds
up an evaluation framework , which is subsequently applied to the post genome era as
well as the situations in Taiwan. The basic elements of an ethical experiment
involving human subjects include the strict regulation and monitoring of such
research, with special emphasis on the safety and health of the subject. The selection
of subjects becomes very significant. It is also emphasis that risk and benefit
analysis and the benfit of the subjects should out-weight the harm to them. An
adequate insurance mechanism need be introduced. Applying to genetic research,
confidentiality needs be uphold, the dilemma of privacy and right to know and
sometimes not to know is very intrique. It is contended that when it involves life
and death, family members have the right to know. Furthermore, married couples
are responsible for their child and should respect each other’s the right to know.
Lastly, government must regulate the sharing of the benefit and burden of the
population according to rules set down by the United Nation in order to avoid the
monopoly of the wealthy in advance genetic technology. It is proper to consider the
employment of genetic therapy into the universal health insurance. The vulnerable
groups such as rare disease groups need be taken special care of.
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