Universal ethical principles in a diverse universe: a commentary on Monshi and Zieglmayer's case study.
Monshi and Zieglmayer's case study presents Sri Lankan participants as having views on the privacy of health information that differ radically from those commonly found in Western nations. This article explores 2 questions that their case study raises for the ethical review of research in international settings: First, are allegedly universal ethical principles--of the sort promulgated in the Belmont Report (National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research, 1978)--useful in international settings?, and second, how should research oversight bodies address the challenges that arise in international behavioral and social science research?
DuBois
James M
JM
Center for Health Care Ethics, Saint Louis University, Salus Center, 221 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103-2006, USA. duboisjm@slu.edu
D035841:Behavioral Research / Q000941:ethics*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D036262:Empirical Research; D028781:Ethical Relativism; D026724:Ethical Review; D028744:Ethics Committees, Research; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D018907:Privacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D013188:Sri Lanka