- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Part 1.1 The intensive care unit
- Part 1.2 Communication
- Part 1.3 Training
- Part 1.4 Safety and quality
- Part 1.5 Governance
- Part 1.6 Research
- Chapter 23 Evidence-based practice in critical care
- Chapter 24 Research ethics in the ICU
- Part 1.7 Medico-legal and ethical issues
- Part 1.8 Critical illness risk prediction
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 104) Research ethics in the ICU
- Chapter:
- (p. 104) Research ethics in the ICU
- Author(s):
Neal W. Dickert
and Scott D. Halpern
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0024
In no context is rigorous clinical research more important than in ICU care. However, clinical research in the ICU poses numerous ethical challenges, some of which are unique or particularly problematic in the ICU setting. Significant barriers exist to informed consent, and existing approaches to consent challenges are limited and lack evidence. Moreover, some studies can only be done in the absence of consent. Additionally, high levels of acuity and variable levels of evidence for both current and innovative treatments often make assessments of equipoise and control group selection particularly difficult. Finally, studies evaluating systems-based approaches to ICU care are integral to advancing the field. However, these studies can be difficult to distinguish from quality improvement activities and require careful consideration given their potential impact on major patient outcomes and the impracticability of informed consent in this context. This chapter discusses these prominent ethical issues in ICU research, and argues that there is a need for further research on ethical dimensions of clinical research in the ICU as well as a need for innovative, context-sensitive solutions.
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Part 1.1 The intensive care unit
- Part 1.2 Communication
- Part 1.3 Training
- Part 1.4 Safety and quality
- Part 1.5 Governance
- Part 1.6 Research
- Chapter 23 Evidence-based practice in critical care
- Chapter 24 Research ethics in the ICU
- Part 1.7 Medico-legal and ethical issues
- Part 1.8 Critical illness risk prediction
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care