Nuremberg code

Nuremberg Code

The Nuremberg Code is a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation established as a result of the Nuremberg Trials at the end of the Second World War. It was created in response to the unethical and inhumane medical experiments carried out during the war, particularly by Nazi doctors.

Background

The Nuremberg Code was established in 1947, following the trial of Nazi doctors accused of conducting brutal medical experiments on prisoners in concentration camps during the Second World War. The trial, known as the Doctors' Trial, was part of the larger Nuremberg Trials conducted by the Allied forces.

Principles

The Nuremberg Code consists of ten principles that set the standard for ethical medical research. These principles include the requirement of voluntary consent from the human subject, the necessity for the experiment to yield fruitful results for the good of society, and the prohibition of experiments where death or disabling injury is expected.

Voluntary Consent

The first and perhaps most important principle of the Nuremberg Code is the requirement of informed voluntary consent. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent, should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved.

Beneficence

The second principle, beneficence, requires that the experiment should be such as to yield fruitful results for the good of society, unprocurable by other methods or means of study, and not random and unnecessary in nature.

Non-Maleficence

The third principle, non-maleficence, prohibits experiments where death or disabling injury is expected, except, perhaps, in those experiments where the experimental physicians also serve as subjects.

Impact and Legacy

The Nuremberg Code has had a significant impact on the field of medical ethics and has influenced numerous other ethical guidelines and codes, including the Declaration of Helsinki and the Belmont Report. It has also been incorporated into the laws of many countries and is considered a foundational document in the field of medical research ethics.

See Also

• Medical ethics
• Human experimentation
• Nuremberg Trials
• Doctors' Trial
• Declaration of Helsinki
• Belmont Report