What is Human Subject Research?

Human subject research is often a component of observational studies and medical research. It is defined as any psychological or medical experiment that is performed on a live human being. It began centuries ago and can be used for testing medicines, drugs, and psychological theories. While most human subject research projects are conducted on a short-term basis, they can also be carried out over several years and include thousands of participants. This type of research has led the way to medical breakthroughs and a means of understanding the human mind. In some cases it has also given way to what could be described as medical abuse, even with the best of intentions.

Human subject research began during the Middle Ages. It led to the development of clinical trials, randomized trials and, some suggest, became a starting point for psychological research. Modern countries use consenting test subjects to research everything from medical treatments to beauty products. Psychologists also conduct observational studies by placing consenting participants in specific situations and judging their response. Today, participants of these controlled studies are often paid for their time. The items they are asked to test undergo rigorous examination to limit the possibility of adverse reactions.

This type of research is also done on large groups of people or over a period of years. Participants are monitored throughout their lives, and data is compiled according to the hypothesis being studied. These long-term projects can be greatly beneficial to the human race. In some cases, a new product may be introduced after having undergone a short-term clinical trial that found it posed no adverse reactions. When the product is continually studied over a longer period of time, possible dangerous side effects may be found, as evidenced by the findings of the health effects of trans fat.

While most countries now have strict guidelines for human subject research, it has been, and in some places still is, used in ways that the average person would find very unethical. When this type of experimentation began in the Middle Ages, society’s weakest members were chosen against their will to be test subjects. Slaves, orphans, prisoners, and the mentally ill were commonly used for human subject research. They endured what many would deem to be brutal medical torture, all in the name of science.

Human subject research, while closely regulated, can also go very wrong, even with consenting participants. This is especially true for psychological experiments. The Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted in the 1970s, was performed by a reputable scientist with consenting, adult participants. The group of participants were randomly separated into two groups: guards and prisoners. They set up a mock prison in the basement of Stanford University and played out their roles under the supervision of the scientist.

While the experiment was meant to last 14 days, it ended after six. Within 24 hours, both prisoners and guards had resorted to torture, and the scientist had become so wrapped up in the experiment that he failed to end it until three participants quit. This experiment is only one example of human subject research projects that have gone astray. For this reason, most governments closely monitor and regulate this type of medical research.