ICR Bioethics Consultation
Established in 2001, the Division of Medical Ethics in the Departments of Public Health and Medicine has evolved in response to the changing landscape of bioethics throughout the world. The Division of Medical Ethics Research Consultation Service endeavors to create ongoing and dynamic collaborations between researchers and bioethicists. The Service is available, free of charge, to provide guidance to individual investigators and research teams prior to submission of research protocols to the IRB, and throughout the course of the study.
Ethicists are trained to uncover hidden assumptions, show the unexpected consequences of particular courses of action, analyze concepts, clarify meanings, and recognize normative, epistemological and social issues. Protocols that involve the following issues/elements may find research ethics consultation particularly helpful:
- Subjects who may lack decision-making capacity
- Protocols involving surrogate decision-making
- Recruitment of vulnerable subjects
- Novel experimental techniques/interventions
- Stem cells
- Gene transfer studies
- Pediatric studies involving moderate to high risk
In addition, consultants can assist with strategies to improve the quality of informed consent and minimize the therapeutic misconception, which occurs when subjects confuse research with therapy.
To obtain a research ethics consultation, please contact:
Inmaculada de Melo-Martin, PhD, MS
Assistant Professor, Public Health
212 746-1268
imd2001@med.cornell.edu
or
Joseph J. Fins, MD, FACP
Chief, Division of Medical Ethics
Professor of Medicine
Professor of Public Health
Professor of Medicine in Psychiatry
(212) 746-4246
jjfins@med.cornell.edu
More details about the Division of Medical Ethics may be obtained by calling (212) 746-4246 or at www.med.cornell.edu/public.health/ethics/
