Conduct a literature search and provide an example of an ethical violation or research misconduct. Describe the event, supply the reference, and discuss what should have been done to prevent the problem from occurring. A minimum of 150 words, scholarly written, APA formatted, and referenced and A minimum of 2 references are required
Ethical violations and research misconduct can have severe consequences on the credibility and integrity of scientific studies. One example of such misconduct is the case of Andrew Wakefield, a British researcher who published a study in 1998 suggesting a link between the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and autism. Wakefield’s study, published in The Lancet, not only lacked scientific rigor but also had serious ethical concerns (Wakefield, Murch, Anthony, Linnell, Casson, Malik, Berelowitz, Dhillon, Thomson, Harvey, Valentine, Davies, & Walker-Smith, 1998).
Wakefield’s study involved 12 children with developmental delays, who were part of a group claiming that the onset of their symptoms coincided with MMR vaccination. However, it later came to light that Wakefield had failed to disclose financial conflicts of interest, as he was being funded by lawyers who were planning to sue vaccine manufacturers (Godlee, Smith, & Marcovitch, 2011). Additionally, his study lacked proper ethical approval and subjected vulnerable children to invasive procedures unnecessarily (Godlee et al., 2011).
To prevent such ethical violations and research misconduct, several actions could have been taken. Firstly, Wakefield should have disclosed his financial conflicts of interest in his published study, as transparency is crucial in maintaining scientific integrity. Furthermore, there should have been a thorough review process for his study, including scrutiny of the ethical implications of the research involving vulnerable subjects. Ethical approval by an independent review board is essential for any study involving human subjects, and failure to obtain such approval should have resulted in the rejection of his study for publication.
Additionally, journal editors and reviewers play a vital role in upholding ethical standards in research. In the case of Wakefield, The Lancet faced criticism for not detecting the ethical violations and conflicts of interest present in the study during the peer review process (Godlee et al., 2011). Journal editors and reviewers should be vigilant in assessing the quality and integrity of research articles and should be knowledgeable about ethical guidelines, such as those provided by organizations like the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Moreover, institutions and research organizations should have robust mechanisms in place to ensure ethical conduct in research. They should provide comprehensive training to researchers on ethical guidelines and promote a culture of integrity and transparency. By fostering an environment that encourages ethical behavior and discourages research misconduct, institutions can play a significant role in preventing such violations from occurring.
In conclusion, the case of Andrew Wakefield’s study on the MMR vaccine and autism serves as an example of an ethical violation and research misconduct. Wakefield’s failure to disclose financial conflicts of interest, lack of ethical approval, and unethical treatment of vulnerable subjects are serious concerns that undermined the credibility of his study. To prevent such problems, it is crucial for researchers to disclose conflicts of interest, obtain proper ethical approvals, and conduct studies following established guidelines. Journal editors and reviewers should also be diligent in detecting ethical violations, and institutions should implement measures to promote ethical conduct in research.
References
Godlee, F., Smith, J., & Marcovitch, H. (2011). Wakefield’s article linking MMR vaccine and autism was fraudulent. BMJ, 342, c7452. doi:10.1136/bmj.c7452
Wakefield, A. J., Murch, S. H., Anthony, A., Linnell, J., Casson, D. M., Malik, M., Berelowitz, M., Dhillon, A. P., Thomson, M. A., Harvey, P., Valentine, A., Davies, S. E., & Walker-Smith, J. A. (1998). Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet, 351(9103), 637-641. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(97)11096-0