Interpreting Ethical Principles Appropriately To The Context: Trauma Research In The Setting Of Chaos

Ethical principles are abstractions that must be interpreted sensibly for specific contexts if they are to produce ethical research practices. A challenge facing trauma researchers is to translate ethical abstractions into intelligent and moral actions appropriate to the context of the trauma, thus making themselves acceptable to those victims and first responders on whom they depend for valid data and perspective. The old procedures - unilaterally designed research and signed consent forms; and the old time lines - months of planning exactly what is to be done, and waiting for funding and protracted IRB deliberations - will not work. Natural disasters, epidemics, and our experience of 9/11 enable us to focus on likely contexts, and to understand that the researcher must fit into the context rather than impose upon it, and to produce externally valid and immediately useful knowledge. Just as the AIDS epidemic transformed many research practices, so, too must trauma researchers work collaboratively with first responders and victims, honoring their values, priorities, needs and perspectives. Principles of community-based research and the practices and findings derived from research in 9/11 and other crisis contexts provide a wealth of ideas on how to apply ethical principles to trauma research on victims and others involved in the aftermath of terrorism or mass destruction. Relationships with one's funders, IRB, first responders, victims and their family members, good Samaritans, service agencies (e.g., the Red Cross), and others are discussed. Plausible interpretation of a wide range of ethical principles are considered. These interpretations need to be evaluated and allowed to evolve in the crucible of actual research in post-terror trauma contexts.