Social Institution of Clinical Research

This book approaches clinical research involving human subjects as a social institution of global reach. The major aims of the book are to: 1) explore the scientific, philosophical, socio-cultural, and economic dimensions of clinical research for their contributions to the structuring of clinical trials and the production of therapies; 2) emphasize the social-value character of beliefs that are built into the conceptual and ethical structure of clinical research; and 3) propose addressing bioethical issues of research, especially with regard to justice, by taking into account poverty and lack of resources that often shape the lives of clinical subjects in the Third world. The last point draws on an ethical framework based on a conception of human capabilities that can be established as political goods to promote human flourishing. The book argues that insight from this capabilities approach can lead to a more socially nuanced contextualization of bioethical discussions on research, and ultimately to a more ethical implementation of clinical studies. This book approaches clinical research involving human subjects as a social institution of global reach.The major aims of the book are to: 1) explore the scientific, philosophical, socio-cultural, and economic dimensions of clinical research for their contributions to the structuring of clinical trials and the production of therapies; 2) emphasize the social-value character of beliefs that are built into the conceptual and ethical structure of clinical research; and 3) propose addressing bioethical issues of research, especially with regard to justice, by taking into account poverty and lack of resources that often shape the lives of clinical subjects in the Third world. The last point draws on an ethical framework based on a conception of human capabilities that can be established as political goods to promote human flourishing. The book argues that insight from this capabilities approach can lead to a more socially nuanced contextualization of bioethical discussions on research, and ultimately to a more ethical implementation of clinical studies.