The use of prisoners as research subjects is regulated by ethical guidelines, such as the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' "Additional Protections for Pregnant Women, Human Fetuses, and Neonates Involved in Research," also known as the "Common Rule." These guidelines establish strict criteria for the use of prisoners as research subjects and aim to protect their rights and welfare.
According to these guidelines, research with prisoners is only allowable under the following conditions:
- The research must be of vital importance to the health of the prisoners, and there must be no other reasonable way to conduct the research.
- The research must be conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, which includes obtaining informed consent from the prisoners and ensuring that their rights and welfare are protected.
- The research must be reviewed and approved by an independent ethics committee before it can proceed.
It's important to note that research with prisoners is subject to additional scrutiny and oversight due to the potential for exploitation and abuse. Researchers must be particularly careful to ensure that they adhere to the guidelines and principles outlined above when conducting research with this population.