Ethics and Research with Children A case-based approach

In this edited volume, a diverse group of scholars present and discuss challenging cases in the field of pediatric research ethics. After years of debate and controversy, fundamental questions about the morality of pediatric research persist: Is it ever permissible to use a child as a means to an end? How much authority should parents have over decisions about research that involves young children? What should be the role of the older child in decisions about research participation? How do the dynamics of hope and desperation influence decisions about research involving dying children? Should children or their parents be paid for participation in research? What about economic incentives for doctors, researchers and the pharmaceutical industry? Most importantly, how can the twin goals of access to the benefits of clinical research and protection from research risk be reconciled?