Medical Ethics and Statistics

Introduction

Statistics are significant tools applied in various disciplines including science, economy, medicine, and among others to help in solving various problems. In the medical field, statistics offers the best methodologies for study designs to generate information, and make conclusions from scarce experimental data (Hutton p.1). A number of medical researches often require statistical information from the public; thus, requiring the health professionals to observe ethical obligations while performing their work in a responsible manner. The medical ethics ensures that the statistical methodologies used are appropriate to the data in use to ensure that valid results are obtained. In addition, it strives for relevance in statistical analyses; that is, each study is based on proficient understanding of subject-matter issues through a clear definition of statistical protocols in every stage of analysis. Consequently, this provides a justification of the relevance of the study from the available data used for later decision making process(Hutton p.4-6). Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discuss various issues concerning medical ethics and statistics to ensure ethical practice within the health care organizations while using statistical work.

The implementation of medical ethics and statistics with the clinical practice require ethical professionalism among the health professionals. It entails competence, diligence and self-respect during the conduct of medical research using human subjects. The epidemiologists, professional colleagues, employers, and funding agencies are obliged by ethical guidelines to protect the life of the research subjects, protect privacy, maintain confidentiality, and review research protocols while performing research. Moreover, the society is also obliged to avoid conflicting interests during research, avoid impartiality, pursue responsibilities with due diligence, widen the scope of epidemiology, as well as maintaining the public confidence (Brown, Roselie, Bright & Dale p.134).

In addition, the health professionals are obliged to design the research in a way that minimizes the risk and maximizes benefits of individual subjects.  The professionals should not deliberately cause harm to the subjects regardless of the benefits that might be available to others as a result. Nevertheless, the researchers should assure the subjects about the fair benefits of research prior commencing the trials (Gallin & Frederick p.24).On the other hand, the health professionals must ensure the patients’ confidential information is protected from breach of confidence, but only shared to appropriate people with legitimate interest. However, the disclosure of such information should ensure that the public is protected from any harm following a professional misconduct (Herring 238-240).

The publications and testimonial statistics from medical studies also require ethical considerations. The medical researchers should ensure an accurate and timely reporting of clinical trials by carefully determining and sorting various statistical to report. In various cases medical publications abuse the medical ethics by failing to report clinical trials since the generated results did not meet the intended study objectives. As a result, majority of publications breaches the consolidated standards of reporting trials (CONSORT). In addition, some publications provide statistical errors and methods in presenting various statistical data; thus, limiting the importance medical research, evaluation and the need to conduct future research (Everitt & Christopher n.d).

In addition, publication bias may occur when published studies dot account for all studies performed or through manipulation of statistical inference to achieve a publication status. As a result, the publishers should assess and correct the extent of biasness by using the existing data to perform meta-analysis of the publication (Lu, Fang, Tian and Jin P.346). Furthermore, the authors of the publications should ensure that their publications first pass through ethical and statistical review to ensure that the medical research reports comply with the set standards. Besides, the publications should maintain objectivity of research and transparency to the reader through the use of simple language and methodologies (Everitt & Christopher n.d).

The medical ethics also addresses allegations involving misconduct and violations of ethics. Most of the reported misconduct involves excluding data from publications, performing a statistical analysis in a dishonest way, poor recording keeping, and among others. In US, research misconducts are investigated by the U.S. research institutions where the victims are charged with criminal fraud or sued in civil court for the damages caused. Civil liability for the fraud is often costly and may require the charged persons or institutions to pay a triple amount of money for the cost of damages. Therefore, this requires that the researchers observe ethical professionalism through integrity, honesty, and accuracy in collecting, analyzing, and reporting medical statistical data (Shamoo p.39-40).

Conclusion

Medical ethics and statistics enable the statistical practitioners to recognize and appreciate their significance within the broader society; which subsequently fosters ethical obligations when performing their responsibilities. Ethical and effective statistical data helps in making critical health policies to health in addressing health disparities existing among individuals and communities. Therefore, encouraging ethical professionalism in collecting, analyzing, and reporting health-related statistics would help in establishing a morally conducive working environment within the health organizations. Moreover, this would help in conducting meaningful medical research through improved public climate, as a result of assured ethical considerations during the research. Subsequently, the resulting statistical works would find a range of applications in planning and implementing community health needs.

Work cited

Brown, S L, Roselie A. Bright, and Dale R. Tavris. Medical Device Epidemiology and Surveillance. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. Internet resource.

Everitt, Brian S, and Christopher Palmer. Encyclopaedic Companion to Medical Statistics. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Internet resource.

Gallin, John I, and Frederick P. Ognibene. Principles and Practice of Clinical Research. Amsterdam: Elsevier/AP, 2012. Print.

Herring, Jonathan. Medical Law and Ethics. , 2014. Print.

Hutton, J. L. Medical Ethics and Statistics. 2014, Wiley Stats Ref: Statistics Reference Online. Retrieved on 10^th January, 2016 from: http://www.wiley.com/legacy/products/subject/reference/cam001-.pdf

Lu Ying, Fang Jiqian, Tian Lu and Jin Hua. Advanced Medical Statistics. Volume 5 of The Tricontinental Series on Global Economic Issues. World Scientific, 2015 {Google books} ISBN: 9814583324, 9789814583329

Shamoo, Adil E. Responsible Conduct of Research. , 2015. Print.

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