Unethical Practices Led to the Trial and Conviction of Individuals and Corporate Organizations - Essay Example

Since historical times, researchers have performed harmful experiments on fellow human beings, all for their selfish gains, disregarding the established rules, regulations, and ethical principles (Eckart, 2006). What is more, these tests have been done illegally, minus the knowledge, consent, or even the informed consent of participants. For instance, study subjects have been injected with deadly or debilitating pathogens, and exposed to deadly biological and chemical weapons, toxic and radioactive chemicals, surgical experiments, and mind-changing drugs (Eckart, 2006). Unfortunately, children are the most targeted and affected group in these experiments. This case study on unethical business research features a former gastroenterologist at London's Royal Free Hospital named Andrew Wakefield. In 1998, Wakefield published in the Medical Journal Lancet, a study in which he linked the triple Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine with autism and bowel disorders in children. In addition to this publication, Wakefield made public statements that made the public panic and avoid the vaccine.

Later, the study by Wakefield would be discredited and the MMR vaccine was declared safe for use. The UK authorities later discovered that how the gastroenterologist conducted his research was unethical (Harrell, 2010). According to the General Medical Council’s ruling, Wakefield had conducted himself not only dishonestly but also irresponsibly with an uncaring disregard for the child participants. Nonetheless, Wakefield would term the ruling unjust and state that he had no regrets over his findings. The General Medical Council criticized Wakefield for various misconducts including his use of invasive tests such as colonoscopies and spinal taps on the children with utter disregard for the side effects of these methods on the children and his method of obtaining blood samples by bribing the children with $8 during his son’s birthday (Harrell, 2010). Additionally, Wakefield was criticized because he did not reveal that he was paid by the lawyers of parents who believed that the MMR vaccine had caused their children to have autism (Harrell, 2010). The children involved in the study were thus the main people affected by the unethical research conducted by Mr. Wakefield. The public was the other affected party since people shunned the vaccine in the years following the publication of Wakefield’s findings, increasing cases of measles, which hit 1370 in 2008 compared to 56 cases in 1998.

Conclusion

This unethical research conduct by Wakefield and the ruling of the General Medical Council calls upon researchers to be professional and not to report biased research findings to appease those funding their studies. That is, professional researchers should remain so, doing what is in the best interest of the public and not for individuals or groups with vested interests, which is covering the expenses. It is only by adhering to the rules, regulations, and principles governing a profession and research that such unethical research conducts may be addressed.