ABSTRACT
The subject of natural law is important for human society as it prescribes some general precepts that will enable people to distinguish sound from unsound thinking, separate those acts that are reasonable from those that are unreasonable. The principles of natural law apply to almost every aspect of human life including the drive for self-preservation, the pursuit of knowledge, aesthetic experience, practical reasonableness, the pursuit of friendship and the practice of religion. If the principles of natural law apply to all citizens, then how relevant is natural law to medical research in general and, more specifically, to the use of the human body for research, including the use of cells, tissues, for new medical developments? Adopting the principles of natural law in medical research would mean that researchers must act reasonably in applying science in the laboratory and in clinical settings. Researchers are expected to exercise integrity when human subjects, both living and dead, are used for their studies.
