Research Ethics Roundup: Arguments for a “learning healthcare system,” ideas for combating public distrust of drug companies, and much more!

Winter is here in full force, so if you've been looking for an excuse to stay out of the cold, look no further! Our latest Research Ethics Roundup features articles on red-hot topics in research, from rising concerns over insider trading to defending research with animals, so cozy up next to the fire and dig in!

40 years after Tuskegee: Reuniting medical research and practice: This article from The Atlantic proposes the development of a "learning healthcare system," where each episode of clinical care generates data and evidence to improve the care of other patients. This system would allow scientists to monitor the effectiveness of common medical treatments, without the burdensome regulations and procedures of experimental medical research.

Rebuilding trust and effectively communicating ethics efforts: Recent surveys suggest that distrust of big pharma is intensifying. Jennifer E. Miller, PhD, argues that drug companies could be doing a lot more to address these perceived failures. She believes that ethics accreditation focusing on areas of public concern may be a successful means to accomplish such an end.

Animal research is an ethical and vital tool to fight disease: This post from the blog Bill of Health, presents a compelling argument for why animal research is both ethical and valuable. The author, Tom Holder, cites advances in human medicine facilitated by animal research, as well as regulations intended to promote animal welfare as justifications for the practice.

Insider trading sparks concerns: A recent insider trading case involving a researcher who provided confidential information to a hedge-fund manager has cast a shadow over “expert networks” that connect clients, often from the financial industry, with experts who can provide technical information.

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