Ayse Kamber

PSYC260-D
UCLA Schizophrenia Study

Ethics has been a major concern for scientific research for decades, and past unethical

studies have led researchers to create strict protocols and limitations in order to prevent the

misuse of science. Institutional Review Board (IRB), a committee dedicated to reviewing and

approving studies that involved human subjects was established in 1974. Even though IRB

approval is necessary for scientific research in order to minimize the risks and protect the human

subjects, it is still possible to see unethical practices. The UCLA schizophrenia study is a great

example of how misuse of science can be seen even when the study is approved by an ethics

committee.

The UCLA schizophrenia study was set to identify what can predict or trigger a relapse

of schizophrenia, and to explore if some patients would improve better without medication. The

study stopped giving patients their medication in order to study the symptoms of relapse, which

caused serious harm for participants, including the suicide of one of the participants. Although

the study was approved by the ethics board, there were many problems in the study and a misuse

of science. The first problem with the study was failing to protect the mental and physical well

being of participants, as well as failing to minimize the emotional stress to participants.

Participants’ medication was stopped, deliberately causing them to relapse in order to study the

signs and symptoms, which caused a great deal of emotional stress to participants as well as

destabilizing their mental health.

Another problem was informed consent and failing to inform participants about the

purpose and risks involved in the study. The researchers did not interfere when they saw signs of

relapse to study the symptoms, and according to an article by Washington Post, participants and
their families were not informed about this. The issue of consent also involved the capacity to

give consent, considering that subjects agreeing to participate in the study were individuals who

were suffering from a serious mental illness. Deception was also present in this study.

Participants and their families were not fully informed about the study and the possible risks.

This deception of not clearly informing the participants and their families caused great problems

in this study including causing one of the patients who was off their medication to commit

suicide and one of the patients relapsing and never being able to return to their “normal and

healthy” state.

There were many solutions to conducting this study in an ethical way, which researchers

failed to do so. Before the study, the individual’s capacity to give consent must be evaluated.

Individuals who suffer from any kind of mental illness should not be able to give consent on

their own, and the study and possible risks should be evaluated by family members and a

qualified psychiatrist to give permission to the individual to participate in the study. It is also

important that there is enough information obtained about the participants current and past

mental health. Volunteers suffering from depression, anxiety and who are in a suicidal state or

have a suicidal history must be excluded from the study.

One of the most unethical part of this study was failing to follow the protocol of

minimizing harm to subjects. It is stated in an article by Washington Post that the researchers

deliberately did not interfere with the situation when they saw signs of relapse. This is not only

unethical, but it also puts the participants in great risk, therefore the study must have been

stopped and participants must have gotten the necessary help when they started showing signs of

relapse. Participants and their families must have also been informed at every step of the study,

being provided with information about the individuals mental state, progress or risk of relapse.
 The patients should have also been provided with necessary psychiatric help after the

study. Patients being off their medications might create serious complications regarding their

mental health, especially if they have experienced a relapse. In order to prevent any harm to the

subjects in the long-term, each participant must be provided with necessary psychiatric help. It is

stated that one of the subjects was never able to recover from his relapse, in order to help such

individuals it is crucial that the researchers make sure of the participants health and provide them

the necessary help needed.

Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness, and it is only possible to conduct a study in

human subjects to do further research on it, however; because it is such a complex illness,

researchers must be very cautious and apply scientific method to their studies. The UCLA

research failed to conduct an ethical, harmless study and the consequences were extremely

serious. It is important that ethical review boards evaluate studies in great detail to prevent such

misuse of science. Being able to conduct an ethical research on schizophrenia without harming

or putting participants at risk and discovering possible treatments and further information will be

very valuable to researchers and individuals who are suffering from schizophrenia.
Work Cited;

S, & Rovner, Y. (1992, September 29). ETHICS CONCERNS RAISED IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

STUDY. Retrieved October 13, 2020, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/1992/09/29/ethics-concerns-
raised-in-schizophrenia-study/92a01b0c-de57-4b30-8720-e16a5910bb5a/