August 2006
Advances in biomedical research create challenging bioethical dilemmas. Within and beyond the scientific community, there is a range of ethical questions being debated. For example: What are the best means to safeguard confidential information generated during genetic screening? Should persons of limited mental capacity be involved in research that will not provide direct benefit to them? What is appropriate compensation for research participation? What role should the NIH play in supporting embryonic stem cell research? These questions and others highlight complex ethical issues that are difficult to answer. As a result, NIH has developed several sources of information to help researchers, participants in research studies, and the general public to think through ethical issues and problems.
In collaboration with the NIH Bioethics Interest Group, NIH developed Bioethics Resources on the Web. (See http:/.bioethics.od.nih.gov/) Bioethics Resources on the Web is designed to facilitate research, scholarly activities, and training. The web site provides information about bioethics initiatives at NIH Institutes and Centers, and other government offices and programs, publications, reports, guidelines, and regulations related to bioethics. The web site contains a bibliography as well as information on educational and funding opportunities. There is a wealth of information on topics as diverse as human subject and animal research, IRBs, genetics and medical ethics, international research, and teaching material, such as case studies and course curricula. The web site also links to related sites, such as university ethics programs, medical and biotech sites, the Federal Register, and ethics journals. For people who are just being introduced to biomedical ethics, this web site serves as a useful point of departure. For people with more experience in the area, it also serves as a quick method for locating key documents and references.
Bioethics Resources on the Web is maintained by Dr. Miriam Kelty, who is the chair of the NIH Inter-Institute Bioethics Interest Group. Dr. Kelty welcomes your suggestions for links to other useful web sites and comments on your experience using this site. Contact her at keltym@mail.nih.gov.
Last updated: 08/25/06
