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Ethical and legal issues in suicide research.

Mishara BL, Weisstub DN

Centre for Research and Intervention on Suicide and Euthanasia, Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, CP 8888, Succ. Centre Ville, Montreal (Quebec), Canada H3C 3P8. mishara.brian@uqam.ca

Moralist, libertarian and relativist ethical positions concerning suicide and its prevention are presented in order to clarify premises upon which ethical issues in suicide research may be resolved. Ethical concerns are differentiated from legal considerations and the implications of the vulnerability of suicidology research participants are discussed. Specific issues that arise in design, choice of participants, interpretation, diffusion of results and evaluative research are treated. These include: experimental methodologies, obtaining informed consent, deception and disclosure, studying innovative and unproven interventions, unknown consequences of participation, rescue criteria, disclosure of information to third parties, research with special populations, risks in publicizing results and measuring the value of human life. When specific legal obligations are lacking, ethical premises concerning the acceptability of suicide and obligations to intervene may influence research protocols.

Published 15 February 2005 in Int J Law Psychiatry, 28(1): 23-41.
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