As I was thinking about writing this blog piece, I reflected on how birds require neither rules nor ethics codes to practice harmonious living that respects all forms of nature. This beautiful image below from the Groenkloof Park in Pretoria inspired my thoughts around the subject of Research Ethics. I am completely stunned by the birds’ engineering ingenuity. Firstly, these beautiful creatures build circular nests because of their innate understanding that a circle is the most economical way to define space creativity. Secondly, they gather building materials from nature using their beaks. Neither cash nor transport is needed!
So, what does all this have to do with research ethics? Quite a lot. Unlike birds we learn from painful experiences to treat each other in respectful ways. We then must write a set of rules to ensure that we conduct research ethically. If you look for example at the history that prompted the formulation of the Nuremberg Code of research ethics, seventy three years ago, you will find that the Codes were borne out of a dark history. The Nuremberg Code came about in 1947 after an episode of hideous experiments performed by doctors on 3,500 million concentration camp victims in Germany[1].
Notwithstanding the historical prominence of the Nuremberg Code there were other Codes before. For instance, the scientific community were guided by the 1931 Guidelines for Human Experimentation; and before that there was the 1900 Berlin Code of Ethics. The Declaration of Helsinki Codes which have been revised several times came by in 1964 to address ambiguities in the Nuremberg Code (details of these Codes are explained in the attached presentation). Alongside the steady increase in research ethics codes, South Africa promulgated the National Health Act 61 of 2003 which coincided with the structural restructuring of the economic programmes that saw the country embracing the globalisation wave as economic institutions became open to international trade.
Your interest lies in how to prepare a research ethics proposal. Click here to download a presentation providing a comprehensive guide that covers information on how to prepare a research ethics proposal, why you should be concerned about research ethics and what the scientific committee is looking for in your ethics proposal.
P Msweli
Blog: Research Metaphors and Garden Stories
9 November 2020
[1] Source: Grodin MA. "Historical origins of the Nuremberg Code". In: The Nazi Doctors and the Nuremberg Code: Human Rights in Human Experimentation. Annas, GJ and Grodin, MA (eds.). Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1992
Publish date: 2020-11-09 00:00:00.0
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