Safety of scientific medical research is a State obligation

Conducting scientific medical research with human subjects presents risks that raise both ethical and human rights concerns. We argue in this article that applying a human rights framework to the problems that arise in the context of scientific medical research can contribute to a better understandi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Marjolein Timmers, Mária Éva Földes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press
Series:Health Economics, Policy and Law
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S174413312500009X/type/journal_article
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849318384373596160
author Marjolein Timmers
Mária Éva Földes
author_facet Marjolein Timmers
Mária Éva Földes
author_sort Marjolein Timmers
collection DOAJ
description Conducting scientific medical research with human subjects presents risks that raise both ethical and human rights concerns. We argue in this article that applying a human rights framework to the problems that arise in the context of scientific medical research can contribute to a better understanding of the impact on individuals, the related obligations of the State, and the avenues to make the State accountable when things go wrong. We start our analysis with a case brought to the European Court of Human Rights, which we use as an illustration throughout the article. We then discuss the relevance of human rights to the field of scientific medical research with a focus on the right to life and the right to health. The article draws on international human rights jurisprudence that deals with concrete disputes arising from the clinical reality. We use case law to highlight the role of human rights law in tackling the real-life problems that may occur during scientific medical research. Our analysis contends that human rights law can provide valuable guidance for healthcare professionals and equip them to handle concrete situations in the clinical reality when the safety of research subjects is at stake.
format Article
id doaj-art-7b23f5ddb9174ba7ba877eda3ef3f00e
institution Kabale University
issn 1744-1331
1744-134X
language English
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series Health Economics, Policy and Law
spelling doaj-art-7b23f5ddb9174ba7ba877eda3ef3f00e2025-08-20T03:50:49ZengCambridge University PressHealth Economics, Policy and Law1744-13311744-134X11310.1017/S174413312500009XSafety of scientific medical research is a State obligationMarjolein Timmers0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5712-4800Mária Éva Földes1Health Law & Ethics, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsHealth Law & Ethics, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Rotterdam, The NetherlandsConducting scientific medical research with human subjects presents risks that raise both ethical and human rights concerns. We argue in this article that applying a human rights framework to the problems that arise in the context of scientific medical research can contribute to a better understanding of the impact on individuals, the related obligations of the State, and the avenues to make the State accountable when things go wrong. We start our analysis with a case brought to the European Court of Human Rights, which we use as an illustration throughout the article. We then discuss the relevance of human rights to the field of scientific medical research with a focus on the right to life and the right to health. The article draws on international human rights jurisprudence that deals with concrete disputes arising from the clinical reality. We use case law to highlight the role of human rights law in tackling the real-life problems that may occur during scientific medical research. Our analysis contends that human rights law can provide valuable guidance for healthcare professionals and equip them to handle concrete situations in the clinical reality when the safety of research subjects is at stake.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S174413312500009X/type/journal_articleClinical trialshuman rightsthe right to lifethe right to healthinternational jurisprudence
spellingShingle Marjolein Timmers
Mária Éva Földes
Safety of scientific medical research is a State obligation
Health Economics, Policy and Law
Clinical trials
human rights
the right to life
the right to health
international jurisprudence
title Safety of scientific medical research is a State obligation
title_full Safety of scientific medical research is a State obligation
title_fullStr Safety of scientific medical research is a State obligation
title_full_unstemmed Safety of scientific medical research is a State obligation
title_short Safety of scientific medical research is a State obligation
title_sort safety of scientific medical research is a state obligation
topic Clinical trials
human rights
the right to life
the right to health
international jurisprudence
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S174413312500009X/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT marjoleintimmers safetyofscientificmedicalresearchisastateobligation
AT mariaevafoldes safetyofscientificmedicalresearchisastateobligation