AIM AND SCOPE

AIM: To improve ethical problem solving in human research.

Stakeholders in human research grapple with conflict among various standards. Without evidence-based problem solving, many conflicts are unsatisfactorily settled by applying one-size-fits-all interpretation of principles or regulations.

JERHRE seeks to create collaboration among stakeholders, stimulate research, and disseminate knowledge to foster intelligent application of ethical principles in research contexts worldwide.

SCOPE: Respect and protection of human subjects; methodology to produce valid and ethical research; social, organizational and political factors operating in the research environment:

• Communication Issues: Recruitment; Informed consent; Deception; Relationships as a source of data; Community consultation and outreach; Language and meaning across cultures and contexts
• Acquisition and Use of Data: Privacy; Confidentiality; Uses of data
• Risk and Benefit: Risk, wrong and harm; Benefit, incentive, promise of social value; Risk/benefit assessment
• Theory, Method and Design: Validity; Modeling; Equitable treatment of participants; Technology, efficiency and sampling; Beliefs about knowledge
• Other Influences on Research: Research ethics committees; Other institutional influences; Perceptions that influence research; Taboo, questionable and controversial topics of research; Scientific integrity and responsibility; Ethics and politics; Government and agency regulations and policies; Human-research literacy; Education in the responsible conduct of research (RCR)