Ethical Imperialism?

Abstract

A Sounding Board article and an exchange of letters in this week's Journal raise important issues about the ethics of medical research in other countries. In the former,1 Dr. Barry discusses the special problems associated with clinical research on the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Africa. In an unrelated letter,2 Dr. Glass notes that informed consent is not mentioned in the report of a study of an experimental treatment for bladder cancer, performed in Chinese patients by a collaborative team of American and Chinese researchers. Dr. Prout and his colleagues, in their reply,3 assure us that informed consent was obtained. © 1988, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.