Justice and Fairness in the Kennedy Krieger Institute Lead Paint Study: the Ethics of Public Health Research on Less Expensive, Less Effective Interventions

The Kennedy Krieger lead paint study stirred controversial questions about whether research designed to develop less expensive interventions that are not as effective as existing treatments can be ethically warranted. Critics questioned the social value of such research and alleged that it sanctions...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of public health (1971) 2006-05, Vol.96 (5), p.781-787
Main Authors: Buchanan, David R, Miller, Franklin G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Affordable housing
Baltimore
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Children & youth
Duty to warn
Environmental Exposure - adverse effects
Environmental Exposure - prevention & control
Ethics
Ethics, Research
Families & family life
Health hazards
Health Policy and Ethics
Humans
Intervention
Lead content
Lead paint
Lead poisoning
Lead Poisoning - economics
Lead Poisoning - prevention & control
Litigation
Medical research
Medical sciences
Miscellaneous
Neighborhoods
Paint - adverse effects
Poverty
Public health
Public Health Practice - economics
Public Health Practice - ethics
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Public Housing
Public Policy
R&D
Research & development
Research Design
Researchers
Resource Allocation
Review boards
Risk Assessment
Sanctions
Social Justice
Social Responsibility
Socioeconomic factors
State court decisions
Studies
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Description
Summary:The Kennedy Krieger lead paint study stirred controversial questions about whether research designed to develop less expensive interventions that are not as effective as existing treatments can be ethically warranted. Critics questioned the social value of such research and alleged that it sanctions a double standard, exploits participants, and is complicit in perpetuating the social injustice. In response, we demonstrate the propriety of conducting research on interventions that can be extended to the population in need by stipulating the limited conditions in which it is ethically warranted and providing fair terms of participation. We contend that the failure to conduct such research causes greater harm, because it deprives disadvantaged populations of the benefits of imminent incremental improvements in their health conditions.
ISSN:0090-0036
1541-0048
DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2005.063719