Issues in pediatric research: safeguarding the children.
OBJECTIVE
To address the ethical question: "How can one safeguard children who participate in research?"


METHODS
Infants through adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
Federal guidelines that delineate when research is allowable with children may not be enough to ensure children's safety from harm.


CONCLUSIONS
Risk evaluation conducted by those who understand child development because such understanding allows one to better anticipate children's potential exposure to harm. Safeguarding children requires a conscientious effort to envision children's understanding of events, their potential reactions, and the possible immediate and long-term consequences. This understanding provides the foundation for implementing sound research procedures to safeguard the children.
Conrad
B
B
University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing, USA. bconrad@mail.utexas.edu
Horner
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006805:Human Experimentation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007258:Informed Consent; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States