How do the ethical principles identified in the Belmont Report relate to human subjects protection?
Respect for persons: Respect for persons incorporates at least two ethical convictions: first, that individuals should be treated as autonomous agents, and second, that persons with diminished autonomy are entitled to protection. The principle of respect for persons thus divides into two separate moral requirements: the requirement to acknowledge autonomy and the requirement to protect those with diminished autonomy. In most cases of research involving human subjects, respect for persons demands that subjects enter into the research voluntarily and with adequate information (informed consent). Respect for the immature and the incapacitated may require protecting them as they mature or while they are incapacitated (e.g., assent of the subject, permission from a parent/guardian). Beneficence: Persons are treated in an ethical manner not only by respecting their decisions and protecting them from harm, but also by making efforts to secure their well-being. Such treatment falls under the p
