Sadhika Gupta, LLB, Durham University
ABSTRACT
This essay explores how clinical research impacts Minoritized Ethnic Groups (MEGs) in the UK, analysing medical ethics alongside human rights. While research benefits are only fully realized when studies are inclusive, MEGs often face barriers like lack of tailored guidelines and consent issues due to language and cultural differences. Ethical frameworks based on Beauchamp and Childress's principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice lay foundations for responsible research, yet often overlook MEG- specific challenges.
The essay critiques existing UK regulations like the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004, which, despite setting ethical standards, lack provisions to protect MEGs. Historical cases, including the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and Coventry Chapatti case, reveal how systemic racism has denied people of colour agency in medical trials, undermining their rights and safety.
It emphasizes the Human Rights Act’s relevance, particularly Articles 2 (right to life) and 8 (right to privacy), and how MEGs' limited inclusion in research violates these rights. The dissertation calls for reforms, advocating for inclusive ethics committees, clear communication to build trust, and legal protections to mandate MEG representation, creating a fairer research environment and addressing deep-rooted inequities.
Commentaires