Sparking and Sustaining the Essential Functions of Research: What Promotes Discovery?
Thomas S. Inui, Richard M. Frankel in Enhancing the Professional Culture of Academic Health Science Centers, 2022
Some of the authors of this chapter are scholars who have worked as faculty members in both US and Chinese medical schools. Because of this international experience, we have been especially interested in identifying institutional issues, solutions to which might significantly improve the cost-effectiveness of research conducted in Chinese medical schools. These issues include: (1) efficient organizational structures; (2) effective cooperation mechanisms among researchers; (3) balanced infrastructure and its full utilization; (4) a sound academic assessment system; (5) a favorable environment for development of younger scientists; and (6) a highly functional science research funding and fund-management mechanism. In this chapter we discuss organizational structure, infrastructure development, and academic assessment in the scientific research system implemented by China’s medical schools, as well as their relevance to biomedical research.
Pathology and Research
Jeremy R. Jass in Understanding Pathology, 2020
The type of research described above is different from most people’s concept of biomedical research. It occurs in hospitals or university departments of pathology linked to hospitals and springs directly from the routine practice of diagnostic anatomical pathology. The costs are low compared to those of biomedical research because one is not undertaking multiple experiments requiring expensive reagents and laboratory equipment. The prerequisites are good laboratory systems (see Chapter 3), ready access to medical literature, the support of clinical colleagues and a flair for clinical research. Naturally one is not going to discover the cure for cancer, but treatment of cancer is only one side of the coin. Diagnosis is the basis on which treatment is founded, yet correct diagnosis of disease is generally, and at times mistakenly, taken for granted.
Small Animal Handling, Care, and Anesthesia
George C. Kagadis, Nancy L. Ford, Dimitrios N. Karnabatidis, George K. Loudos in Handbook of Small Animal Imaging, 2018
The use of animals in any type of biomedical research brings with it implicit ethical considerations that should be thoroughly reviewed prior to performing the research. At most institutions, these ethical reviews will be conducted by an institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) or an animal care committee (ACC) after a research group has accepted the need to use animals and defined their use. This review is mostly based on accepted national standards such as the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources et al. 1996) in the United States or the guidelines and policies defined by the Canadian Council on Animal Care in Canada (Olfert et al. 1993). These guidelines, standards, and policies attempt to ensure improvement in animal welfare: reduction in animal numbers, animal pain, and stress, while at the same time not compromising the results of animal-based research.
“Paid to Endure”: Paid Research Participation, Passivity, and the Goods of Work
Published in The American Journal of Bioethics, 2019
At first glance it seems more plausible to say that healthy volunteers realize the good of social contribution. After all, biomedical research, at its best, is capable of producing knowledge that is highly conducive to individual health as well as societal functioning. And human subjects are indispensable to that research. However, although Gheaus and Herzog do not specify what counts as realizing this particular good, I believe that merely playing some causal role in some activity that leads to societal benefits is insufficient. Otherwise, any job would qualify as long as it is subject to income tax, the revenues from which are used for socially valuable ends. Nor does it seem enough to be involved in some activity where the social contribution is intrinsic to the activity itself. Rather, if the social contribution of a job is to count toward its worthwhileness for the workers, it seems that it must be realized through something that they do. In other words, what matters is making a contribution—not merely being part of the causal stream through which social utility is generated. As pointed out already, there appears to be little that healthy volunteers actually do, make, achieve, or produce. Thus, it is questionable whether their participation can be construed as a way realizing the good of social contribution, properly understood.9
Laboratory science and a glimpse into the future
Published in International Journal of Healthcare Management, 2020
Biomedical research facilities are often tied to academia or industry. Depending on the type of research, oversight may be regulated or unregulated. Basic research, disease discovery and drug discovery is not regulated, while pre-clinical studies, clinical trials and manufacturing phases of development are regulated [5]. Regulated phases of medical research are often bound by good laboratory practices (GLP), good clinical practices (GCP) and good manufacturing practices (GMP) [5]. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has provided guidance on GLP, including guidelines on personnel credentials, training, building structure standards, test item controls, protocol and policy development, standard operating procedures (SOPs), inspections and data collection. WHO guidance also assists in implementation of GLP [6]. Unregulated activities in research facilities are not bound by GLP, however. Biomedical research is being conducted at universities, government institutions, private industry, hospitals and other facilities, and reliable data is necessary to advance science. WHO has provided guidance in SOPs, facilities, experimental conditions and data collection to help align these biomedical research laboratories [7]. Research facilities are found in numerous institutions and government public health laboratories provide differing services. It is often unclear what licensing and standards are needed for laboratories based on services provided. However, when research relies on patient-specific results reported from a laboratory to care for the patient in the U.S., CLIA requirements apply.
There’s No Harm in Talking: Re-Establishing the Relationship Between Theological and Secular Bioethics
Published in The American Journal of Bioethics, 2020
Michael McCarthy, Mary Homan, Michael Rozier
In an effort to construct research practices that strive for the human flourishing of all, a Christian anthropology begins by asking who flourishes the least. It asks what is needed from both individuals and communities in order to move away from the identified common harm and to engage in practices that mitigate structural inequalities (Ferrer 2018). It encourages us to consider the collective goods of research and to acknowledge that the current structure of biomedical research provides more benefit to those most likely to be healthy already. Second, Christian anthropology requires a critical reflection on one’s responsibility for the injustices within the current structure of research. Third, it asks what is needed from both individuals and communities in order to move away from the identified common harm and to engage in dialogue that considers what is necessary to create a common research agenda in which the flourishing of those marginalized is prioritized.
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