The dilemma of using humans as research subjects: An assessment of risks and benefits

According to The Belmont Report, the prior assessment of potential risks and benefits is essential in determining whether a subject ought to participate in research. This article will present a review of the risks and benefits to which research subjects are exposed, followed by a short summary of the philosophical and ethical thinking underlying these issues. The application of the principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence to the issues of minimizing risk and maximizing benefit might be achieved more effectively by changes in how the consent information letter is usually organized.