Document Detail


Ethical research in delirium: arguments for including decisionally incapacitated subjects.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19247810     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Here we describe how more important findings were obtained in a delirium study by using an informal assessment of mental capacity, and, in those who lacked capacity, obtaining consent later when or if capacity returned or a proxy was found. From a total of 233 patients 23 patients lacked capacity as judged by our informal capacity judgment and 210 did not. Of those who lacked capacity, 13 agreed to enter in the study. Six of them regained capacity later. When these 13 participants were excluded from analysis, significant findings were no longer evident. These results show that by the inclusion of subjects who lacked capacity the results of analyses of the condition from whish they suffer are altered. We suggest that this approach to the study of delirium is more ethical than the usual system of strict exclusion of people who lack capacity to give consent and for whom assent is not available.
Authors:
Dimitrios Adamis; Adrian Treloar; Finbarr C Martin; Alastair J D Macdonald
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2009-02-27
Journal Detail:
Title:  Science and engineering ethics     Volume:  16     ISSN:  1471-5546     ISO Abbreviation:  Sci Eng Ethics     Publication Date:  2010 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-03-05     Completed Date:  2010-07-01     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9516228     Medline TA:  Sci Eng Ethics     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  169-74     Citation Subset:  E; IM    
Affiliation:
Research and Academic Institute of Athens, 27 Themistokleous Street & Akadimias, Athens 106 77, Greece. dimaadamis@yahoo.com
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomedical Research / ethics*
Codes of Ethics
Decision Making / ethics
Delirium* / diagnosis
Double Effect Principle
Female
Geriatric Assessment
Guidelines as Topic
Humans
Informed Consent / ethics*
Judgment / ethics
Male
Mental Competency*
Mental Status Schedule
Patient Rights / ethics
Patient Selection / ethics*
Principle-Based Ethics
Research Subjects*
Severity of Illness Index
Statistics, Nonparametric

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  The Legacy of the Hwang Case: Research Misconduct in Biosciences.
Next Document:  Programmers, Professors, and Parasites: Credit and Co-Authorship in Computer Science.