Ethics Questions

1. Dr. Jacobs is conducting a study on a new drug for cancer. He intends to recruit the study subjects from his
university hospital patients. He informs them that if any patient refuses to participate in the study, he would
discontinue his weekly treatment and follow up in the hospital. Is this an ethical behavior? Why?

 Answer:
 It is unethical. In research, the voluntary consent (agreement) of the human subject is absolutely essential
without any pressure. Moreover, the human subjects under research have the right to refuse or terminate
the experiment at any time without affecting the treatment plan.

2. While you were searching the internet to prepare an assignment, you found an article that fulfilled your
needs. You tried to copy it, but couldn’t because it had a technical protection. A friend of yours helped you
to overcome the technical protection. Then he put that article on the internet for free. Which one of you
violated the intellectual property?

 Answer:
Both of you, because over passing the technical protection violated the author’s copyright and it is against
the law. You did not obtain permission from the owner to make that article available for free copying
through the internet.

3. The library of your faculty acquired a book on physiology; you made a copy for your use. One of your
friends made several copies and sold them to all friends and colleagues. Can we consider his behavior as a
fair use of the author’s work?

 Answer:
No, it is not a fair use. The author’s work can be used for educational purposes (fair use) by copying a single
copy of the workbook for purely personal use. It is unethical to make several copies and sold them.

4. A famous writer wrote a book. He sold thousands copies. He copied a chapter form thesis without citation.
Is this an ethical behavior? Why?

 Answer:
It is unethical. The writer should follow the ethical methods for using information resources. It is necessary
to refer the ideas to their original sources.

5. Ethics committees should be composed of the following EXCEPT:

a) Physicians.
b) Pharmacologists.
c) Patients.
d) Attorney

 Answer:
C
6. Scientific misconduct involves:
a) A researcher accidentally misquoting his or her data.
b) Representing statements of another person as one’s own.
c) Failure to achieve expected results.
d) Accidental failure to cite a source.

 Answer:
B

7. The rights of the person or company responsible for distribution of the work” are:
a) Copyrights.
b) Related rights.
c) Intellectual property.
d) Moral rights.

 Answer:
B
 
 
8. 7. In -----------, the exact words of an author are used with citation:
a) Paraphrasing
b) Quotation
c) Plagiarism
d) Summarising

 Answer:
B

9. The authors' work can be ethically used for educational purposes in one of these situation :
a) In educational institute with financial profit
b) For teaching purpose without the author's name
c) Copying many workbooks and selling them
d) Copying a copy for personal use

 Answer:
D
 True or False:

10. According to Nuremberg code, the human subjects can terminate the experiment at any time. (T)
11. You should obtain ethics committee approval directly after completing your study. (F)
12. An author is the person who created the work. (T)
13. Quotations mean rephrasing the words of an author while keeping the same meaning. (F)