General Consideration for the Ethical Treatment of Human Subjects

 

  1. Subjects are entitled to dignified treatment during all phases of experimental procedures.
  2. At no time are subjects to be coerced into participating in experimental procedures. Subjects may immediately terminate or withdraw from experimental procedures and earn the incentives promised them for their participation.
  3. Subjects will be given sufficient information regarding the procedures to enable them in making an informed decision regarding their participation.
  4. Confidentiality of subject data will be respected and preserved at all times. Experimenters will maintain control over access to subject records.
  5. When appropriate, experimenters should inform subjects of the rationale of the study at some time during or following the conclusion of the procedures.
  6. Experimenters should design their studies such that the costs to a subject are reasonably comparable to the rewards for participation. Any incentive promised for participation in experimental procedures will be given regardless of the quality of the subject’s performance. Additional incentives may be given if they are greater in value to those that would be otherwise possible for participation.
  7. Experimenters are responsible for the behavior of others (e.g., assistants, confederates, data encoders, etc.) who may influence the rights of the subjects. Assistants should be briefed by experimenters regarding the appropriate treatment of subjects.
  8. No subjects will be exposed to procedures of a frivolous or clearly meaningless nature.
  9. Subjects may be exposed to adverse or onerous treatments only if the potential benefits of the research to society well exceed the costs to the subject. Subjects in those procedures should be reminded of their right to terminate the procedures. Signed, informed consent will be required of all subjects in such procedures.
  10. The department will retain the right to revoke its approval of, and terminate, any experiment in which accepted or defined ethical standards are not followed.