Which are the three core ethical principles of the Belmont Report?

Which are the three core ethical principles of the Belmont Report?

• A. Respect for Persons, Beneficence, and Justice
• B. Respect for Persons, Privacy, and Justice
• C. Autonomy, Beneficence, and Privacy
• D. Autonomy, Beneficence, and Justice

Answer: (A)

The question tests knowledge of the three guiding principles laid out in the Belmont Report for ethical human subject research. Respect for Persons recognizes individuals as autonomous agents and requires protections for anyone with diminished autonomy, typically through informed consent and voluntary participation. Beneficence means researchers should strive to maximize benefits while minimizing harms to participants, carefully weighing risks and benefits. Justice demands a fair distribution of the burdens and benefits of research, ensuring no group is unfairly burdened or excludes from potential benefits. The correct trio—Respect for Persons, Beneficence, and Justice—matches these principles exactly. Autonomy is part of Respect for Persons, not a separate principle, and privacy, while important in research ethics, is not listed as one of the Belmont Report’s three core principles.

The question tests knowledge of the three guiding principles laid out in the Belmont Report for ethical human subject research. Respect for Persons recognizes individuals as autonomous agents and requires protections for anyone with diminished autonomy, typically through informed consent and voluntary participation. Beneficence means researchers should strive to maximize benefits while minimizing harms to participants, carefully weighing risks and benefits. Justice demands a fair distribution of the burdens and benefits of research, ensuring no group is unfairly burdened or excludes from potential benefits.

The correct trio—Respect for Persons, Beneficence, and Justice—matches these principles exactly. Autonomy is part of Respect for Persons, not a separate principle, and privacy, while important in research ethics, is not listed as one of the Belmont Report’s three core principles.