Ethics in research

Abstract

Individuals conducting research in medical physics and biomedical engineering have certain rights and responsibilities that should always be respected. About two years ago the International Organization of Medical Physics (IOMP) created a Bill of Rights for Scientists and Engineers that contains 10 clauses addressing the rights of research physicists and engineers. The Bill of Rights emphasizes that a Scientist or Engineer must be free to theorize and experiment unimpeded by political pressures, religious dogma or fear of reprisal. The Bill of Rights has been adopted by the IOMP, the International Federation Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE), and the International Union for Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine (IUPESM). The Bill of Rights is consistent with the Statement on the Universality of Science of the International Council for Science (ICSU). © 2009 Springer-Verlag.