Is the tyranny of the ethics committees in health research a reality?

Abstract

Purpose/Context. In the present article is made an analysis of the role that the ethics and research committees must fulfill to protect the volunteers who participate in the studies. This without forgetting their functions on research promotion and generation of knowledge as a social responsibility, which over time has been distorted.

Methodology/Approach. I review the evolution of ethics in research, which arises as a response to bad practices that undermined human dignity. That press to rethink the way we investigate, with the emergence of international standards, recommendations and legal regulations that promoted informed consent and the establishment of research ethics committees.

Results/Findings. As part of sequence analysis, shows how these organisms have become important now. In many parts of the planet cannot research without the approval of the committees. This goes in favor of the subjects in the investigation, but with bad handling, and inadequate must generate an exercise of power, with tyranny.

Discussion/Conclusions/Contributions. This analysis and reflection are based on the global bioethics of Henk ten Have. The author works about these and takes into account the responsibility and duty of research as a global and inter-generational responsibility, which we must exercise as citizens of the world.