Advocating for Research and Innovation While Protecting the Public

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Constructing a public health strategy and program depend on research and innovation. Research provides essential information about diseases, their trajectories, risk factors, treatment response or interventions, functional capacities, care patterns, costs, and healthcare usage. It is imperative that the health and well-being of participants who are utilized as research subjects are protected. Several steps can be taken to ensure the safety of research participants. Public health professionals, including researchers, health managers, and educators, should ensure that all guidelines concerning the health and safety of persons participating in research trials are observed. In this manner, they fulfill their duties of advocating for research, innovation, and patient protection.

Notably, many contemporary ethical and safety measures stem from failures to protect participants in past trials. For example, the Tuskegee syphilis study is an example of patients being abused for medical research, with their rights being compromised for the good of the greater public (Waxman, 2017). The study was carried out under the pretenses of treatment, and the participants were not informed about its primary goal of observing the disease trajectory. Researchers in the Tearoom sex study failed to obtain consent from participants and observed sexual encounters under claims of watching out for police (“Laud Humphreys and the Tearoom sex study,” 2022). Similarly, during birth control trials in Puerto Rico, no consent was collected, with the participants receiving no compensation (Vargas, 2017). Furthermore, they were not explicitly explained that the drug was untested and had severe, said effects (Vargas, 2017). These studies exemplify unethical research practices that, despite their innovation, may endanger human lives.

In summary, while research and innovation are fundamental in advancing knowledge and protecting the public from the catastrophic impact of new diseases, the rights of the individuals used to gain this knowledge require protection. Past trials indicate the areas that need to be addressed when advocating for innovation and research in healthcare. Therefore, when proposing new research, drug trials, or experiments, public health professionals should ensure no unethical practices are employed and that the studies follow current ethical and safety guidelines.