The ethics of child participation in clinical research

Abstract

In contemporary bioethics,respect for the person is the prominent principle, and in the analysis of all research protocols, autonomy is a value that is prioritized to protect the rights of the individual,
of groups and of the community. It does not have to be different when it comes to children and adolescents. However, the young age of children, their vulnerability to it and their development that is just beginning, constitute an obstacle to respecting their autonomy, which depends on how their childhood has passed and their non-existent independence. In research with children, recognizing and making known who benefits from it and who is exposed to risk is a moral and ethical obligation.