Editorial


Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics 2013; 4(1):1 

 

 1 

 
 
 
EDITORIAL 
 
 
 
DEBATE ON PEDIATRIC RESEARCH 
 
In the 18th century, children were viewed as property of adults. Children were also considered as 
cheap (not-valued) for rsearch. Early experiments on infectious diseases, new vaccines and medical 
procedures  were often performed on children of servants, orphanages, mentally ill or physically 
disabled children.  
 
In the late 19 century, objections to the use of children in research were presented by the USA Anti-
Vivisection  Society (1896). Prussian Minister for Religious, Educational and Medical Affairs issued a 
directive in 1900 that medical interventions other than for diagnosis, healing and immunisations 
children were excluded. For many years after Nuremberg, it was felt that research with children was 
unethical, if not illegal. 
 
Helsinki Declaration (1964 - 2008) says children can participate in research by parental  informed 
consent. Research involving children is only justified if it the medical interests of that child and are 
necessary to improve the health and well being of children. This is the most important stages of the 
evolution of necessity on pediatric research. 
 
In 1974, The Pediatric Research Act established the National Commission for the Protection of 
Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioural Research for broad justification of research involving children 
under protection. Convention of Human Rights and Biomedicine Council of Europe, Oviedo 1997 
express research with children can be undertaken if  research questions that cannot be answered by 
similar research carried out in adults. G. Koren in 2003 said  children are not small adults in the way 
their bodies function and develop. Hence, unless a new device or pharmaceutical preparation is 
tested in them, one cannot assume their safe and effective use in the pediatric age group. In the 
Europe and US, a number of legislative actions has been taken to encourage pediatric research. 
Pediatric research is needed bcause some diseases are typical of children and there is metabolic 
differences between children and adults.   
 
 
 
Shamima Parvin Lasker 
(Professor & Head of Anatomy, City Dental College, Dhaka) 
Associate Editorial 
Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics