Ethical lessons learned from the use of therapeutic plasma exchange in neurologic disease.
Conflicts of interest are inherent in the practice of medicine, particularly in the conduct of clinical research. Such conflicts can often be identified and even resolved by the application of ethical principles as an integral part of such research. The opportunity to participate in a series of controlled clinical trials of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) in diverse neurologic disease provided an insight into some of the ethical dilemmas posed by such conflicts of interest. Chief among these was the recognition that informed consent is a precious though fragile and multidimensional concept. In the last analysis, ethics is the "business of being human"; respect for its guidance helps to ensure the success of clinical research.
Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York, USA.
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McQuillen
D016265:Conflict of Interest; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*