Should researchers ever use humans in experiments?

Con: The violation of the will of an individual sets a precedent for further violations. Such violations may ultimately jeopardize the freedom of many members of society.

Con: Research into the causes, consequences, and cures of diseases often involves risks to the lives of the experimental subjects.

Con: Often there are other ways of learning about the nature of disease and the impact of drugs on human physiology than conducting experiments involving human subjects.

Pro: Sick people who consent to undergo medical experiments can help in the acquisition of medical knowledge.

Con: Doctors have a duty to put the interests of sick people in their care above all other interests. The care of the sick is more important than the acquisition of medical knowledge.

Con: Sick people are less likely than healthy people to be able to make autonomous decisions regarding their participation in medical experiments.

Con: Prisoners may feel pressure to participate in medical experiments. Authorities may offer rewards or privileges to prisoners for cooperation in medical experiments. This might incline prisoners to get involved in a program of research that they would avoid if they were out of jail.

Pro: With prisoners, researchers have the advantage of studying a population that is restrained in its movements, always accessible. The control that authorities exercise over prisoners reduces the number of variables that researchers have to take into account.