TY  - JOUR
T1  - THe obligation to participate in biomedical research
AU  - Schaefer G, Emanuel EJ, Wertheimer A
Y1  - 2009/07/01
N1  - 10.1001/jama.2009.931
JO  - JAMA
SP  - 67
EP  - 72
VL  - 302
IS  - 1
N2  - The current prevailing view is that participation in biomedical research is above and beyond the call of duty. While some commentators have offered reasons against this, we propose a novel public goods argument for an obligation to participate in biomedical research. Biomedical knowledge is a public good, available to any individual even if that individual does not contribute to it. Participation in research is a critical way to support an important public good. Consequently, all have a duty to participate. The current social norm is that individuals participate only if they have a good reason to do so. The public goods argument implies that individuals should participate unless they have a good reason not to. Such a shift would be of great aid to the progress of biomedical research, eventually making society significantly healthier and longer lived.
SN  - 0098-7484
M3  - doi: 10.1001/jama.2009.931
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.931
ER  -