The Ethics of Using Human Subjects in Clinical Trials Involving Radiopharmaceuticals

Abstract

The participation of humans as subjects in any biomedical research is subject to ethical review of the appropriateness and value of the research, both to the individual and to society as a whole. When this research involves nuclear medicine, either as the primary focus of research or as an adjunct, considerations of the risks associated with the exposure to ionizing radiation must be taken. This chapter reviews the ethics of clinical studies involving humans, with an emphasis upon studies incorporating nuclear medicine