ABSTRACT
Statisticians and other quantitatively oriented behavioral and medical scientists who do analyses and interpretations of data obtained from human experimentation are expected to follow the established ethical guidelines that control such experimentation. The American Statistical Association, for example, in its Ethical Guidelines (1999), has an explicit section entitled “Responsibilities to Research Subjects (including census or survey respondents and persons and organizations supplying data from administrative records, as well as subjects of physically or psychologically invasive research).” We give four of the more germane points from this particular section (and reproduce the complete ASA Ethical Guidelines in an appendix to this chapter):
1. Know about and adhere to appropriate rules for the protection of human subjects, including particularly vulnerable or other special populations that may be subject to special risks or may not be fully able to protect their own interests. Ensure adequate planning to support the practical value of the research, validity of expected results, ability to provide the protection promised, and consideration of all other ethical issues involved. 6. Before participating in a study involving human beings or organizations, analyzing data from such a study, or accepting resulting manuscripts for review, consider whether appropriate research subject approvals were obtained. (This safeguard will lower your risk of learning only after the fact that you have collaborated on an unethical study.) Consider also what assurances of privacy and confidentiality were given and abide by those assurances. 7. Avoid or minimize the use of deception. Where it is necessary and provides significant knowledge-as in some psychological, sociological, and other research-ensure prior independent ethical review of the protocol and continued monitoring of the research.
