ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to examine some of the social psychological implications of clinical research, both as they affect the subject and as they affect the scientific researcher. One of the developments in clinical research is the growth of expertise in the field of genetic engineering. Since clinical research involves interaction between subject and experimenter, there is always the possibility that bias will intrude into the experiment. There is always the possibility of bias in any clinical research project. Another real problem faced by scientist involved in clinical research is that of confidentiality of patient records. While federal regulations governing clinical research will continue to play an important role, researchers will also need more effective self-regulation rather than depending on external guidelines alone. Clinical research has several social and psychological implications. Researchers should receive better training in the ethics of research and should be made more aware of the needs, rights, and feelings of human subjects.
