Ethical Issues and Considerations Within Non-Beneficial Pediatric Research

Non-Beneficial Pediatric Research (NBPR) is a form of research in which children are used as human subjects within experiments aimed at generating information and data that will potentially lead to the advancement of medicine for future generations. NBPR is distinct from traditional forms of pediatric research in that it does not inherently result in any direct benefit to the health of the child enrolled in the study yet introduces a level of risk to their health that would otherwise not have been experienced if the subject had not joined the study. Due to the nature of NBPR, certain issues related to risk and consent present ethical quandaries that must be considered to identify an ethical justification to continue this field of research. This thesis will thus provide a background and history of NBPR, consider the central issues related to this field, and analyze the current philosophical arguments that either defend or criticize the continuation of Non-Beneficial Pediatric Research.